


Forging Rifts

by Thrones_of_War



Series: Entwined File [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Drama, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, interdimensional, multiple dimensions but all still Undertale, reluctance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-08-22 10:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 114,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8283479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thrones_of_War/pseuds/Thrones_of_War
Summary: After an accident during an experiment with the dimensional boxes, Alphys and Undyne find themselves in a world similar to their own... and yet very different. Who are these familiar strangers? And will they and their friends be able to bring them back home?





	1. "I don't think that's our city."

**Author's Note:**

> And here we are! Forging Rifts, the fourth part of Entwined File! I'm very excited to present this to you guys, I've been waiting a long time for it. As stated before, this is written by both me and Petalthorn, the author of Corrupted File.exe. in a sense, you can think of the first three stories as the prologue, this series has only just begun...
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy, and I will upload this story every Friday and Monday. Allons-y!

Alphys’s gaze narrowed, sweat beading on her forehead, but she didn’t dare try and wipe it away. She could only hope that it wouldn’t slip into her eyes, distracting her. This would have to be done with the utmost precision.

Fluorescent lights lit the lab around her, various liquids bubbling and steaming in vials on the large counter behind her. Different machines hummed and beeped quietly to themselves, arrayed in such a chaotic fashion that she would be the only one to have any hope of finding anything. Her old exo-suit hung on the far wall across from her, kept in pristine condition mostly at Undyne’s insistence. In case she ever needed it again.

It felt good to be back at work on experiments like this. The last major work she had done was when Kid had Fallen Down nearly three months ago. She suppressed a shudder. That whole ordeal had been a complete nightmare, and she prayed that she would never have to go through anything like that ever again.

She refocused her attention on the open dimensional box before her. It seemed to fade in and out of existence, pale blue lines the only things that showed its location. Any dimensional box hooked up to a phone would be invisible of course, and accessed through the phone’s interface. It was a lot safer that way.

Part of Alphys’s caution was derived from the fact that she really didn’t know all that much about the boxes. They had been the work of the previous Royal Scientist. Of course, he had left behind blueprints that allowed their assembly, so Alphys could make them, but she didn’t fully grasp how they worked. it was a gap in her knowledge that she planned to rectify. She would need to know how they worked if she was ever to improve on the formula.

She carefully reached forwards, a device not dissimilar to a welding torch in her hand, and flicked a switch, a short, thin beam of blue light extending from it. Warily, she made a light incision on the box, slicing an orange line down its middle. Small sparks of electricity flared from the hole, and she thought she could see blackness pooling inside.

Nothing unexpected there, she flicked the torch off and placed it to her side, pulling up a scanner to watch the readings of the-

“Alphys!” Undyne roared, causing the reptile to leap her height again into the air. Her wife burst through the doors and ran over to her, dressed in her casual black tank top and dull blue jeans. She had a gigantic smile on her face, and as soon as she reached the hapless scientist she lifted her into the air and twirled her around, laughing all the while.

“Alexander just said ‘Mama!’ He said it, Alphy!”

“U-Undyne, put me down!” Alphys said frantically, struggling in the warrior’s grasp. “I’m working with very unstable materials here and-”

Her tail smashed into the table where she had been working, sending the contents scattering everywhere. The dimensional box hit the ground with a cracking noise, followed by a sound not unlike a loud inhalation, as if a massive being was taking its first breath. The box dissipated, and a large, multi-coloured tear appeared in the air above where it had been. The two women had time for a single shout of alarm, before the pressure from the rift sucked them into it.

In the house he shared with his brother, not too far away from Undyne and Alphys’s home, Sans sat up straight in bed, sweat beading on his skull, his left eye blazing in a blue inferno.

 

“Just… just let it all out,” Alphys soothed, rubbing Undyne’s back as the fish warrior retched into the grass surrounding them, held up only by her hands and knees, and shuddering as she choked up another wave of bile. 

The reptilian Monster took the moment of relative peace to survey their surroundings, for the two were most definitely not in her basement lab anymore. Behind them, the Rift they had come through crackled and pulsed with strange energy, it’s many shifting colours almost enough to induce nausea on their own, even without Undyne’s weak stomach to help the process. 

There were standing at the top of a slight… inclination? It seemed like “hill” was too strong a word for the rise they were on. Not far to their right was Mt. Ebott, and Alphys thought she could see the cave entrance to the Underground if she squinted. 

In the distance, she could make out the city, but something seemed…different about it. She knew she didn’t get out as much as she perhaps should, but she didn’t remember there being as many tall buildings as there were in the city across from them. Their city had two or three… skyscrapers? Yeah, that was what the Humans called them. This one had a few more, and more of the other buildings were taller too.

But the most telling thing, was that behind the city lay a great expanse of water. There was a lake behind their own city, to be sure, but it didn’t compare to what they saw here. 

What happened? She could swear left and right that the mountain beside them was Mt. Ebott... it was kind of unmistakeable! Had the Rift sent them across time? Or...somewhere else entirely?

Undyne gave a final, heaving shudder and stood shakily to her feet, grimacing as she wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. 

“What the hell just happened?” she asked angrily. “What’s going on?”

Alphys narrowed her eyes at the fish warrior, looking up at her from behind her glasses.

“You just barged in! I _told_ you that I was working with delicate materials in the lab, and not to disturb me unless it was important!” The lizard’s tail twitched angrily as she spoke.

“It was important though! Alexander spoke!” Undyne defended weakly, but she had the decency to look sheepish doing so, and her ear fins drooped slightly.

Alphys sighed, removing her spectacles to give her clawed hand more room to massage her forehead. 

“Yes it was. But you didn’t have to throw me around like that! Can’t you do anything calmly?”

“Sorry…” Undyne muttered.

Alphys gave another sigh and pinched the bridge of her snout just above her nostrils before looking up again, replacing her glasses on her face. 

“I forgive you,” she finally murmured. And she meant it, even if she was still a little annoyed at her wife for causing this mess… whatever this mess was, exactly. Undyne brightened slightly at that, though she gave Alphys a look that assured the scientist that the fish-warrior really was sorry. 

Alphys looked back over to the city, shading her eyes to protect from the setting sun. 

“It’s getting late...” she said quietly. “Was I in the lab that long?”

Undyne followed her gaze, frowning. 

“Not really, just a couple hours. It should be.. hang on, I’ll check my phone.”

She pulled the device out of her jean pocket and tapped on the screen. Nothing happened. She frowned, tapping it again a few times. 

“What? I just charged this piece of crap, how the hell is it out of battery already!?”

Alphys rummaged through the pockets of her own lab coat, pulling out her own phone and the other various devices she had on her. All dead.

“Hmmm…” Alphys turned to look back at the rift for a moment before looking away again. “It looks like.. like all our electronic stuff got shorted out going through the-” She stopped. “Oh no!”

She quickly grabbed Undyne’s left arm, pulling it toward her in a panic, looking closely at the thick metal armband that was Undyne’s Determination Recycler. She ran her claws over the smooth surface and a holographic interface lit up. Alphys frantically waved her claws, checking on all the systems while Undyne looked on, with a small smile on her face. The little reptile was always so cute when she went into nerd mode. 

Finally, Alphys sighed in relief, dispersing the interface, though she checked on the tube that ran from the armband to the base of her hand first, making sure it was still properly attached.

“Oh thank god… It’s alright.”

“Of course it is, you made this thing to be just about unbreakable!” Undyne enthused. No stupid… uh.. whatever that thing is is gonna undo _my_ girl’s work!”

Alphys couldn’t help a smile spread across her face at Undyne’s enthusiasm.

“W-well, just let me know if you start feeling weak okay? I can’t take any chances with that.”

Undyne threw the scientist a salute, then turned back to the city.

“So… at least it’s not that far of a walk back down there… I don’t really want to go back through that thing again.”

Alphys shook her head. 

“Definitely not. And… I -I don’t want to risk it… not until I’m sure your DT recycler is still working at full capacity. But…” she hesitated. “Undyne I… I think we shouldn’t go back to the city just yet. 

The fish looked at her in surprise. 

“What? Why not? Alexander’s there alone, and he might still be a little guy, but you know he can already cause some damage, and we can’t call Toriel or Asgore to take care of him.”

Alphys waved a claw at the city. 

“Undyne… I don’t think that’s our city.”

“What do you mean? Of course it’ is!” Undyne looked back at it, but her yellow eye narrowed as she too finally noticed the inconsistencies. 

“Hey, you’re right!” She took a deep sniff and her frown deepened. “And that’s… I can smell salt water! We’re not beside any ocean…” She looked back at the mountain. “But that’s definitely Mt. Ebott! What the hell is going on?”

“I… I’m not sure.” Alphys said quietly. “but I think it might be best if we go back into the Underground tonight. There might be enough stuff in my old lab left over to set something up.. maybe we can figure out what’s going on here.”

Undyne grinned at her.

“Hah! I knew you’d come up with something, nerd! Alright, let’s go!”

 

There was a ruffling of papers as Dogamy shuffled through a pile in the living room of the Royal’s Home. Sitting across from him, was Gerson. The turtle monster was resting his head on a hand, eyes nearly closed, though Dogamy didn’t look much better. 

“Anything good?” the turtle asked him.

Dogamy shook his head, drawing a hand over his face with a quiet groan. “There’s nothing too good--our human companions found another location, but...no sign of the two.”

Gerson sighed quietly. “Poor kids,” he murmured. “They better be all right.”

“I second that,” Dogamy replied, scanning over another paper. “There’s supposed to be another report coming in soon, so I should probably go to where I can receive it.”

“At least Mettaton figured out how to make our internet compatible with theirs,” Gerson pointed out. 

“It beats walking down the mountain,” the canine agreed, before looking at the older monster with worry. “Are you going to be all right? After what happened--especially when it’s concerning you…”

Gerson waved it aside. “Don’t worry so much, Pup. I’m old, not helpless. It’s not like I’m going to go seeking out a fight or anything, you can leave me and the Neck Warmer alone for an hour, ya know.”

Dogamy snorted at the nick name Gerson had given the child. “Can you please take it easy all the same?”

“I don’t make promises,” Gerson replied, stifling a yawn. “Anyways, Pup, you’re in the same boat as me,” he added, pointing at him. “You need rest as well. Considering those furballs you got running around.”

“Gerson, I can’t, not with this going on and--”

“And being the Captain of the Royal Guard, yadda, yadda--even Undyne slept, ya know.”

Dogamy dead-panned. “This is why people have half the mind to strangle you.”

Gerson smirked, and shrugged a little.

“Grandpa Gerson…? Uncle Dogamy?” 

The two looked over to the entry to the main hall, where a child was leaning against the wall, rubbing an eye, having woken up recently. Dogamy gave a sympathetic smile. 

“There you are, Frisk, did you sleep well?”

“I guess…”

“Well, there’s my Neck Warmer,” Gerson teased. “Feeling any better?”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore, but…”

The smile turned to a look of concern. “They’re still not talking, kid?”

“There’s nothing.”

Dogamy breathed out. “Child, we know they’re still there, if their souls left…”

The child nodded, looking up with dual colored eyes, one orange, and the other blue. “I know, if their souls were gone, I’d be fully human again.”

Gerson tiredly stood, groaning quietly, biting back a hiss of pain as his body protested. “Considering everything, they’re probably just dormant for a while, Frisk. It’s a big deal for monster souls to have magic drained like that--and who knows what it’s like when they’re drained while in this state.”

He came over, patting their head between the large white horns. “Just give it time, I mean, look at us. It’s been a month, and we’re still crawling around like those zombies in that movie we ended up watching.”

“The good news is that our magic is replenishing,” Dogamy assured. “My brother is actually getting some of his vision back.”

Gerson nodded. “And heaven knows Doggo needs that.” He slowly knelt to be more at Frisk’s height, unable to resist a smile as their ear fins twitched slightly. “Look, just give them time, I’m sure you’ll be hearing them again--and then dragging yourself over for headache medicine.”

Frisk gave a quiet grumble as he ruffled their hair, and then Dogamy stood. “Was there something you needed, Frisk?”

Frisk gave a quiet hum, yellow tail twitching, before they nodded. “I wanted to go to the garden with Grandpa Gerson,” they said, pointing toward the stairs to signal that they meant the throne room. “The flowers need to be watered.”

Gerson gave a nod. “Sure, just let’s grab you some breakfast first,” he said, slowly standing back up.

“I can make food,” Dogamy insisted quickly. “And honestly, Gerson, it’s past lunch time now.” With the recent incident, everyone’s sleep schedules were beyond broken.

“It’s their first meal, therefore: Breakfast.”

Dogamy face palmed, and then slowly sighed. “Regardless, you need to rest--in fact--you shouldn’t be leaving the house.”

“Do I look like I’m dying?” Gerson asked, folding his arms as he raised a brow at the dog monster.

“Your shell is still cracked beyond all belief--you shouldn’t be moving around!” Dogamy quietly exclaimed, his tone relaying his concern. Frisk winced, looking at the shell, seeing the deep spiderweb cracks that spread all over it from the center. They weren’t as bad as they had been a month ago, but they were still healing--albeit at a snail’s pace.

“Then a compromise,” Gerson said. “You can make breakfast, but I’ll still tag along with the kid to the garden.”

Dogamy folded his arms, glaring at the stubborn turtle. “So long as you don’t go anywhere else.”

“I won’t unless it’s an emergency.”

The dog still gave a slight snort of irritation. “Honestly…” he grumbled, before moving over to the kitchen, rubbing bleary eyes. 

 

After their meal, Frisk left with Gerson to the throne room garden, though once there, the turtle was quick to find a place to sit in the flowers. Frisk looked around with a soft, quiet sound. The throne room was a little different now, due to the fact that both thrones were now in the back, covered in white sheets.

Frisk adjusted the red scarf they wore, making sure the end of the tails covered their palms, with neat little knots resting on the back of their hands to keep them in place, and even now, they still wore a blue hoodie. Mt. Ebott wasn’t known to be cold, but unless it was unbearingly hot, Frisk tend to keep the scarf and hoodie around at all times.

They looked to Gerson, quietly hugging him. Frisk still wasn’t much for words, and Gerson knew that with the others absent, they were mostly back to their usual silent self, avoiding conversation when possible. “I’m fine, kid,” he assured, petting their head. “I’m just going to rest, I’ll be right here…”

They mumbled, shuffling on their white Monster feet. 

Gerson chuckled. “Need to speak a bit louder than that, you know I can’t hear well.”

“I wanted to take care of some of the plants by the entrance too,” Frisk said, raising their voice just enough so that he could actually make out the words.

The turtle thought about it for a few moments, and then nodded. “All right, but when you get there, holler if you need anything...and come running back if there is so much as a leaf out of place--and keep the entrance in sight--and--”

Frisk couldn’t help a giggle, covering their mouth with their fingers, before they finally finished laughing. “I’ll be careful, Grandpa Gerson,” they promised.

Gerson smirked, seeing that his over exaggerated protectiveness had gotten them to laugh. He sighed in content, and leaned back, tipping his hat forward to shadow his eyes. Frisk smiled, and then took the watering can they had brought along, swiftly tending to the garden.

It helped, in some ways, to tend to Asgore’s flowers. Frisk wasn’t sure if it was because of his soul, but… They touched their horns. Tending to the garden calmed their nerves and lessened their worries, so Frisk had been trying to go out there a bit more often as of late, due to the absence of their friends.

Usually, they would have been murmuring things in the background by now, but for the past month, it had been silent. One would have thought Frisk would be relieved by that, as it meant it was back to being normal, and not having to share their head with about seven other occupants. However…

Frisk felt very alone. The silence that they had grown up with in their head was now far too noticeable. They liked to have their thoughts to themselves, perhaps--but it wasn’t worth the missing presence of their friends. 

They hummed quietly, trying to make up for the silence as they tended to the flowers. The other magics...they didn’t feel those either. In most ways, they almost felt like themselves again--aside from the obvious physical traits that refused to go back to normal.

Their dual colored eyes narrowed in thought as they continued, thinking over the past events. They had overheard Dogamy talking...the two still hadn’t been found. Frisk bit their lip. Those two were vulnerable, and they knew that the people who took them wouldn’t hesitate to...Frisk shuddered at the image, and then shook their head to get it back out. 

They had to find them.

Frisk hoped that once everyone recovered from the incident, tracking down those two would actually be a simple task, but for the moment, their friends were mostly down for the count, their magic still recovering. Even poor Napstablook had been hit, and the ghost couldn’t even muster up the energy to hover as they used too, reduced to sliding about on the floor when they weren’t resting.

The only one who wasn’t worse for wear was Mettaton, but that was because of more physical body protecting him, if not for that, he’d be just as bad as Napstablook was. Then there was Grillby and Muffet…

The fire elemental had been so badly drained that he had been mostly extinguished, and for a while now, Grillby had been unable to absorb flames to regain his form, leaving Muffet to fret over him constantly--not that anyone could blame her. After those two had gone missing, it only stood to reason that the spider monster would fret over her husband like that.

Frisk had been staring into space so long, they hadn’t noticed that they had tended the garden--and were now trying to spill water on the floor--though thankfully, the can was already empty.

However, Frisk and Gerson had tended to the garden enough in order to know to at least bring two watering cans, with the other nestling beside the now slumbering turtle monster. Frisk smiled a little, and went over. They slowed, and then knelt beside him, hugging him quietly, their smile fading. He was an old monster--and he had been so badly hurt and drained of precious magic.

It scared Frisk to think that something could possibly take him away from them, as Frisk didn’t think they could go through losing others again so soon. If Frisk had their way though; there would be no such thing as heartbreak, loss, or death. Frisk wanted the happy ending, but the more they tried to fix it, the further away it seemed to be.

Frisk stayed there a little longer than needed, before pulling away from the worn out turtle. Then, they grabbed the watering can, heading for the exit. They wouldn’t go far, just to some plants that bordered the entrance, and as always--since the incident--they’d be on guard for trouble. 

The odd combination of human and monster stepped out, closing their eyes for a moment to enjoy the sun’s warmth--even if it was already ebbing away into the sea. They waited, always hoping this would lure the others out of their slumber...but the voices didn’t come. Frisk sighed, knowing they had been asking for too much.

It was worth a shot though, and that was why Frisk looked for the excuse to get outside from time to time, as, due to the incident, everyone was wary of letting them out of the Underground. Though Frisk didn’t fully like the idea as it meant that they couldn’t see a few of their friends down in the city unless they took the time to climb up here--which wasn’t really an option for one of them--and vehicles didn’t agree to Mt. Ebott’s slopes.

They tended to the few plants that did actually grow by the entrance, and then, they set the can aside, and moved over to the ledge that overlooked the slopes, where the city could be seen, the sun setting into the ocean beyond.

Frisk sighed softly in contentment, and sat down, feet dangling over the edge, the wind ruffling the short fur. This was always nice at least...They leaned back, looking up at the sky as its blue colors began to change to the red and golds of the evening hours.

 

“C’mon, almost there babe,” Undyne encouraged, looking back at the flagging scientist. 

Alphys just huffed in exhaustion, stumbling up the mountain after the fish-warrior. Undyne narrowed her eye at the reptile’s raspy breathing. She bounded back towards her, and scooped Alphys up, ignoring the squeak of alarm as she held her bridal style. 

“There,” Undyne said, giving Alphys a toothy grin. “Much better, don’t you think?”

Alphys’s scales turned red, and she hid her face in Undyne’s chest. The warrior just laughed and resumed taking long strides up the mountainside. To her, Alphys weighed next to nothing, and didn’t slow her down at all. 

She briefly wondered if Alexander would, like Alphys, have his scales change colour when he was embarrassed. She hoped so. 

The two were close to the Underground's entrance now. They had come at it from the side, with Undyne traversing boulders and loose stones with ease and grace. As she climbed the narrow pathway up, she stayed against the mountain wall, not paying too much attention to the sheer drop on her right. 

So long as she followed the wall, she'd eventually get to the cave entrance. With that, she turned the corner, and just as she had guessed, she could see the large entrance, and the cliff that stretched out around it. As they turned the corner, they saw a child sitting at the edge of the cliff, dangling their feet over the edge. At their approach, the little one’s ear fins twitched and they turned their head towards the two.

Upon seeing them, both their eyes widened in horror and they scrambled to their feet, backing away and clutching the watering can like it was a weapon. 

“Wh--who are you?” they managed shakily, quivering so much that water was spilling out of the tin can. 

Undyne gave a concerned look at the child, putting Alphys down and taking a step towards them. 

“Hey kid, what’re you doing up here? This isn’t a safe place to play. Where are your parents?”

Alphys peeked around from behind the taller Monster’s legs as she spoke, noting with amusement how Undyne’s relatively new motherly instinct shifted from protectiveness and caution, to shaking their son upside-down by one foot. An act that the lizard was sure would one day give her a heart attack.

Frisk quivered, and then raised their head. They could feel their fins--their tail--there was no way those two could be standing there! Heart pounding, Frisk took a step forward, pointing at them with their empty hand. 

“I asked a question! Who are you!?” Still, while that was loud for Frisk, it was just slightly above an indoor voice for most. Their white furred feet dug into the ground, and they lowered their head slightly, their eyes staring straight on. Briefly, Frisk reached into their mind, searching for a response, but as usual...nobody came. 

“Whoa now, easy there, punk.” Undyne chuckled, impressed by the display before her. “I’m Undyne, and this is Alphys.” She scratched absently at her DT recycler, where the tube pierced her flesh and the base of her hand.

Frisk shook their head, slowly side stepping toward the entrance. They could hardly believe what they were seeing--no, they couldn’t believe it, because the truth was right on them. It was a trick--imposters--illusion magic--they didn’t know, but it couldn’t be them!

“That’s a lie,” Frisk murmured, their voice just above a whisper now. 

Their gaze locked on the DT recycler. Was that somehow making that trick--no--as far as they could tell, the lizard didn’t wear that. The child starting backing warily toward the entrance, taking a deep breath. Help was just a few rooms away. 

Alphys, sensing the rising tension, took a step forward. 

“Umm… we’re kind of… lost. S-something happened and we ended up here.” Alphys nervously fiddled with her wedding ring as she spoke, a habit she’d picked up over the years. “Uh, wh-what’s your name? We told you ours....”

This had to be a trick--and Frisk wasn’t about to give them answers. Instead, they turned with a scream. “GRANDPA!” they cried, diving into the cave.

Undyne blinked after the fleeing child. 

“Grandpa?”

“I think they were calling for help…” Alphys muttered. “They seemed…scared of us.”

“Yeah… I guess…” Undyne said slowly. “Hey Alph… is it just me or was their magic signature… really weird?”

Alphys slowly nodded.

“Y-you noticed that too?”

“Yeah, I did. And I’m getting real tired of not knowing what’s going on, especially if this is what the welcome wagon looks like.”

“We sh-should probably follow them then.” 

Undyne sighed and turned to the cave entrance. 

“Yeah, you’re right. Stay behind me though… just in case this “Grandpa” decides to hit first and ask questions later.” She strode into the cave, Alphys scurrying just behind her.


	2. What in the-

Gerson jerked with a gasp, hearing the cry, and--as quickly as one his age was able--he leapt to his feet, rushing out of the throne room, his hand already reaching into his shell. He didn’t know what danger there was--and he knew he wouldn’t last long to it--but he wasn’t about to let his kid get taken again!

He ignored the pain from his healing body as he moved through the archway where the barrier used to be, and met the child up on the mound of grass. “Frisk--what’s wrong!?” he exclaimed as they rushed into an open arm, shuddering.

“Liars--I don’t know what they want!”

Gerson gave a growl, and fully drew out his weapon, clenching his war hammer tight. He didn’t know what was coming, but it had the child in a panic, and he would at least try to scare them off, if nothing else. 

It only took a few moments for Alphys and Undyne to appear in the room, both giving a start as they saw Gerson. Undyne visibly relaxed, barking a laugh. 

“Gerson! I keep telling ya, just because all the kids at the schools call you Grandpa and listen to your stories, doesn’t mean you’re allowed to take them home with you, ya old fart!”

The turtle stared--his eyes going wide. “What in tarnation…?” He looked at Frisk, pulling them back for a brief moment. Ear fins? Check. Tail? Definite check. “Wha…?” If those were there, then how were they--!?

“I don’t know!”

Gerson turned, and then raised his weapon. “I don’t know who’s trying to play us for fools, so you better start weaving a pretty story, or I’m afraid I’m going to have to take defensive measures for this little one.” His eyes narrowed, and he shifted into a ready stance, gripping his hammer a little tighter.

“What?” Undyne asked, confused and offended. “You think I’m going to hurt a little kid? I thought you knew me better than that!”

“Undyne…” Alphys said quietly, tugging on the taller one’s tank top to get her attention. “M-maybe let me handle this?” Undyne blinked down at the reptile and let a soft smile caress her features briefly. 

“Alright.. maybe you’ve got some pills to jumpstart the old fart’s memory,” she grumbled, taking a step backwards, though she kept a wary eye on Gerson. If he attacked in a delusional fit, she wasn’t going to let Alphys get hurt.

He nudged the child gently, and the little one hid behind him. He kept his eyes on the familiar strangers, though his attention stayed mostly on Undyne, as she was the bigger threat in his eyes. Gerson wasn’t sure what trick was trying to be played here, but he certainly wasn’t falling for it. He gave a slight tilt of his head, as if silently telling them to go on.

Alphys hummed nervously, suddenly wishing she hadn’t put herself in the spotlight. But she didn’t want any conflict here. She was just glad Gerson hadn’t attacked yet, though he still looked ready to do so. She rubbed her hands together, nervously fiddling with her ring again.

“Uhh… h-hi,” she began. “Um…. w-we don’t want to hurt you… we didn’t even know you were here! I didn’t think anyone visited the Underground anymore but... Um…” She paused, trying to get the various theories in her head straightened out. “I think… we’re not supposed to be here?” She finished lamely. 

Gerson gave her a look. “...well, if this is a trick, it was a bad attempt.” Frisk nervously poked their head out around him. “Frisk…I don’t think it’s them at least.” He lowered his hammer--if only slightly. “Monsters are still living here during the integration with humans,” he said. “I’m not quite sure who you two are--and how you managed to look the way you do--but you’re quite lost.” 

Undyne had been too shocked to say anything when Gerson had said it, but as his voice faded away she finally found her own again.

“Wait… _Frisk?!?_ ” She stared wide-eyed at the child. “What the hell? Since when is Frisk a Monster?! And.... young?” She looked to Alphys who was also blinking in confusion. 

Alphys’s gaze narrowed as the pieces clicked into place. Only one of her theories fit now… She took a deep breath in the wake of Undyne’s exclamation.

“I think I know what’s going on here now…”

Frisk ducked back into hiding, while Gerson looked to them dead on. “Care to explain?” he asked, his stance remaining firm. 

“Umm.. I was in my lab… at home.” Alphys began. “And I was trying to experiment on the dimensional boxes… but there was an… accident.” 

She all but glared back at Undyne, who wilted slightly under the gaze.

“I said I was sorry…” she grumbled half-heartedly. Alphys turned back to the others. 

“After the accident we were carried through a… portal of sorts. Umm, when the accident happened it may have… opened up a rift to another world?” Alphys was well aware of Undyne’s confused gaze on her from behind, but she ignored it for now. It was the ones in front of her that she had to convince. 

“Well, Neck Warmer?” Gerson murmured quietly. “What do you think?”

“...does that sound like Undyne?”

Gerson sighed, but an amused smile came to him. “Yeah, this sounds like something that urchin could manage well enough on her own.”

“...then...maybe it is them…”

“Well then, no need for this,” Gerson murmured, slowly hiding his hammer away. “If we’re not causing trouble, then let’s go somewhere when I can rest comfortably, it’s a little tiring to be moving about right now.” The turtle huffed. “Dogamy’s gonna have a fit if he hears. Darn rascal.”

Alphys still eyed him warily. Undyne gave an exasperated huff. 

“ _Finally_. As If I could be anyone else.” She snorted at the thought. “No-one can pretend to be Undyne! It’s not possible!”

“So, umm… Monsters still live down here in… this world?” Alphys asked.

Gerson nodded, beckoning with a hand. “Integration’s slow, but there’s a handful or two living in the city right now.” He turned to lead the way, his cracked shell revealed as he took the child’s hand, while Frisk fell into an odd side-step gait, a hand covering one side of their head as they tried to hide their ear fins and tail, hating that they had worn a more casual outfit. 

Undyne let out a gasp as the two followed them. 

“Gerson! What happened to you?!”

The turtle looked tiredly over his shoulder at them, as he led them steadily back to the throne room. “Bit off more than I could chew,” he said. “Someone made the mistake of taking Frisk. We went to get them...they were a bit more than ready for us.”

“Bastards,” Undyne growled, clenching her hands into fists. Then she winced, half expecting to see Toriel appear out of nowhere to “chide” her for swearing near a child. 

“S… so…” Alphys said nervously, trying to get the conversation away from a conflict. “Ummm… Frisk is a Monster in your world? H-how does that work?”

Gerson led them into the throne room, before finding a place to slowly slide down, exhausted from the commotion as Frisk hid from them. “They’re not a monster--not exactly,” Gerson assured. “Though that’s...a complicated mess of an explanation…” His eyes narrowed. “And with all things considered, I’ll have to tread lightly with the details.”

“You? Not tell the entire story?” Undyne said, amusement lacing her voice. “Now I have seen everything.”

The turtle huffed, tiredly looking up at her. “Laugh all you want, Urchin.” He closed his eyes, thinking for a bit before speaking, choosing his words carefully. “Frisk was in an incident a good while back,” he explained. “When this happened, they ended up absorbing monster souls--by accident--sort of. This is the end result, and despite research going into it, there’s been no way to separate most of them currently.”

“I’ve never heard of Humans absorbing Monster souls…” Alphys murmured to herself. Undyne was staring at Frisk in blatant fascination now. “How would that even work? Monster souls don’t last after death...Unless…” Her eyes widened in realization, and she cast a quick glance to where the child was attempting to hide, noting the horns and the white-furred feet. “Oh no…”

The child trembled, and then hid even further behind the turtle, trying to wedge themselves between him and the wall somehow, while Gerson gave a quiet sigh. “Frisk was trying to save the souls--it sort of worked,” was his simple explanation. He had been avoiding names, but the turtle was pretty sure they’d figure it out soon enough on their own.

Alphys looked back to where the thrones sat, both covered in white sheets. She wasn’t fully sure what they had done with them back in her Underground, but it had probably been something similar.. especially since Asgore certainly had no desire to be king anymore. But now, the covered chairs held a darker meaning. 

“S-so, are the other parts a… side effect? Or did other clans of Boss Monster survive in this world?”

Gerson frowned for a moment, confused by the question, before realizing what Alphys had assumed. “Neither,” he replied, before giving a quiet hum of thought, trying to figure out how much he should say. “Well--it’s all sort of a side effect, but not in the way I believe you’re thinking.”

“Come on, just spill it old man!” Undyne called in frustration. “We don’t all have a thousand years to wait for you to get to the point!”

Gerson shook his head at her impatience. “The safest point I can make is this: Not all the souls are Boss Monsters--I know that’s not supposed to be possible, but then again, the kid’s good at doing that. They went to extreme lengths to try and recover the souls--let’s just say we were in a place where they could be sustained.” 

Undyne opened her mouth to yell at him again, but Alphys grabbed her hand with one of her own, causing the warrior to pause.

“Listen, Undyne,” she said, her voice soft. “It’s obvious there’s a lot of things different here… maybe we should listen to Gerson. Besides… this has been a shock to everyone. Maybe we should put our focus elsewhere for now?”

Undyne grumbled for a moment before relenting, leaning forward to nuzzle the tip of Alphys’s snout.

“You’re lucky you’re so cute,” she mumbled, grinning as the reptile flushed.

“Undyne!” Alphys squeaked in embarrassment. “There are still people here!”

Gerson dead-panned. “I didn’t realize you two could be as bad as the Royals,” he grumbled. Frisk, despite themselves, had to choke back a sound of amusement. “Look, if you want the story--that’s all well and fine--but the thing is, if I tell you it, what does that change for you? If this is what we’re assuming, I rather not tamper with what you know.”

He gave a shrug, and continued. “It could be ‘the less you know, the better’. For now though, shouldn’t the main concern be how you got here, and how you’re going to get home?”

Alphys nodded in agreement. 

“Y-yeah… I was gonna see if I could study the rift, and see if could even take us back but… most of our devices got drained going through it. I was hoping to find something I could use back in my old lab… Um, do you think I’ll mind if I go through my stuff?” It felt really weird asking that question, but it wasn’t the strangest thing to happen today.

“Your lab is in good condition,” Gerson assured. “And...no, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. The only thing you’re going to have to worry about is--oh--right--should probably call ahead to tell him if we’re going to do this. Don’t need to short circuit him. Kid, got your cell phone? How about you call Uncle Mettaton…” Gerson grumbled quietly to himself. Looks like he’d have to get up again.

Alphys blinked at the idea of Mettaton being in her lab, but decided not to question it for now. She let her thoughts wander for a moment.

“I hope we figure something out… the others will get really worried if we’re gone for too long.”

“Oh, Sans’ll know something’s up.” Undyne piped up. “He knows some sciency stuff, right?” She frowned. “Toriel might know too… but I’m not sure. The rules are a bit fuzzy when it comes to her…”

Gerson looked at them, and then sighed, slowly getting up. “Let’s get to the Royal’s House. Maybe we can have something to eat while I call him.” Gerson gave a quiet grunt as he finally got to his feet, wincing, but ignoring it. “Looks like I’ll have questions for you as well at the rate this is going.” 

Frisk gave a sound of concern, and he gently ruffled their hair. “I’m fine, let’s just get back to the house.” He somewhat wished Frisk’s magic was working, as he honestly didn’t want to walk the whole way back. 

“I think there’ll be questions all around.” Alphys said, looking curiously at Undyne. “But you’re right, maybe we should discuss this in a more comfortable environment. My feet hurt, and I was _not_ expecting to climb a mountain today.”

Undyne took the opportunity to swoop in, lifting the small reptile up and holding her in her arms. 

“There, problem solved.” She grinned. “Whenever you’re ready, old man.”

“Ready as I’m ever gonna be for the next few months,” Gerson managed, stifling another yawn. “Come on, Neck Warmer,” Gerson murmured, taking the child’s hand again, leading them out of the throne room.

As they started through the golden corridor, someone appeared at the other end, moving at a brisk pace, their muzzle in a pile of papers as they scanned over things. Gerson cringed. Bad timing. “Knew I was forgetting something…” He looked over. “Dogamy?”

The dog’s ears perked. “There you are, Gerson, honestly, I thought you two would be back at the house now, I have enough things on my plate without--” He glanced up, and dropped the papers he was carrying, staring wide eyed. “What in the…?” His head instantly jerked to the child, and then back to the other two. “What…?”

“That’s what I said,” Gerson replied.

“Hey, Dogamy! How’s the wife?” Undyne asked nonchalantly, adjusting her grip on the reptile in her arms. 

Dogamy kept staring. “I don’t...what?” he asked as Frisk crept forward, picking up all the papers.

“They’re not ours,” Gerson explained.

“Now I’m just more confused…”

Frisk took the papers, and then hid behind the canine, peeking around a leg as they looked around worriedly, while Gerson sighed into his hand. _‘Subtle, Dogamy. Subtle.’_

“Why does everybody keep looking at me like I have two eyes?!” Undyne demanded. “You guys know who Undyne is, right? I still don’t really get what’s going on here, but if you guys are here, that means that there must be a me somewhere here too, right? What, do I look different than her?”

Both the turtle and the dog monster glanced at each other with uncertain sounds. “Well?” Dogamy asked Gerson. “You’re the advisor of things.”

Gerson glared half-heartedly at him. “I’m not the advisor of inter-dimensional who’s-a-ma-whats-its,” he replied as Frisk tried to nudge the papers back into an envelope that had hit the floor as well, frowning as they fought with the barely big enough opening.

“Getting real tired of not knowing what’s going on,” Undyne muttered angrily, gripping Alphys a little too tightly and eliciting a surprised yelp from her. She immediately relaxed her grip, her angry expression replaced by a look of concern. 

“Sorry about that.” 

Frisk ducked away, and Dogamy’s ears twitched, before he scooped up the child, placing them on his shoulders, while Gerson looked over. “Might not make sense, but taking it from my perspective. I have two people claiming they’re from another dimension--that’s tampering with time and space. How much information would you want to reveal to them before you get everything settled?”

“In the end…” he glanced to the lizard. “Let’s see if we can remedy the problem. If we can send you home, that’s the less you have to know about here, and that might be for the best.” 

Alphys would have been getting more curious about what was going on, but none of the conclusions she was drawing were anything good. She nodded slightly, and tapped her wife’s shoulder, indicating for the taller woman to put her down, which she did.

“You may be right…” she stated softly. “B-but… maybe we’ll see. Somehow I don’t think that it’s going to be as simple as just getting us back to our own world and going our separate ways. Even if it is… It’ll probably take some time.”

Gerson breathed out, drawing a hand over his face. “That will probably be the case, knowing how things typically work out. Let’s just get to the house…”

“Gerson?” Dogamy questioned in concern.

“It’s fine,” the turtle assured, waving him off. “If it comes down to it, it comes down to it. Let’s just get them some food, and then maybe head down to the lab.”

With that, the little group began walking again, Dogamy falling into place close to Gerson, though not too close, not wanting to insult the old turtle.

They neared the exit of the corridor, and Undyne had been casting glances between the three otherworlders. She opened her mouth to speak… but no sound came.

She froze, beginning to pant heavily while the others continued, not yet noticing. She started to tremble, her breaths becoming deep and ragged as sweat began to pour down her body. 

“Alphys....” she managed, her legs giving out, causing her to fall to her knees. As she hit the ground, a harsh beeping noise began emitting from the DT recycler on her arm.

Everyone whipped around in alarm, with Frisk making a soft cry. “What in the--!?” Dogamy started. 

“Undyne!” Gerson turned, moving over as quickly as he was able, with Dogamy instantly reaching the fish woman’s side, dropping to his knees. 

Alphys’s eyes widened in panic. 

“No!” 

She rushed to the warrior’s side, grabbing at the beeping device on the woman’s arm and frantically calling up the interface once more. Her arm brushed against the other’s and she gave a horrified gasp as blue goo clung to her arm just from that brief contact.

Undyne was shuddering violently now, and the sweat pouring down her body was now leaving trails of blue goop in her wake as she began melting.

“Kid--call Mettaton!” Gerson barked. Frisk yanked out their cell phone, dialing the number, and handing it back to the turtle, the moment it picked up, the turtle just went straight to business. “We’ve got an emergency--get to the corridor as quickly as possible!” 

Alphys paid no heed to the actions of those around her, frantically trying to stabilize the recycler. It didn’t matter anyway, if she couldn’t fix the malfunctioning machine, Undyne only had seconds left before she-

“Don’t you dare leave me,” she whispered, her claws moving in a blur. “Don’t you dare!” 

She looked up quickly, though her hands still moved. She knew the display like the back of her hand. 

“Does anyone have a battery? A power source? _Anything?_ ”

The three glanced to each other and then Gerson held out the phone to her. “It’s all we got on hand--but it’s got a battery.” Though that was the extent of his knowledge on cell phones for the most part. 

Alphys ripped the phone from his hand and had it dismantled before anyone could blink. She pressed the battery against the recycler, using her magic to send a small jolt of electricity through it. It was crude, but it might give her enough power to stop this.

Undyne’s shaking slowed, but did not stop, and Alphys cast the now-useless battery aside, resuming her repairs. As she had hoped, she had given the recycler just enough of a boost to allow her to properly regulate its systems. 

It felt like an eternity, but Undyne gradually stopped melting, her body reforming back into it’s previous state. She was still gasping for breath, covered in a thin sheen of sweat, but it was an improvement on before. Alphys let out a shaky breath, dismissing the holographic screen before pressing her forehead against Undyne’s.

“Don’t ever do that to me again,” she said quietly, relief dripping from her tone. “You are _not_ leaving me a single mother.”

The others jerked in surprise as Dogamy’s eyes widened. “Mother?” he murmured under his breath.

Gerson shook his head, ignoring it for now. “What in tarnation was that?” he demanded, looking at the fish warrior in concern. 

Undyne managed a shaky grin, summoning a spear in one hand to help her precariously get to her feet. 

“Sorry about that… We got attacked by some really powerful guy a few years ago, and I ended up taking a really bad hit. Now I need this thing to keep me alive.” She grimaced at the memory. “I woke up to find a piece of metal permanently attached to my arm, and to find out that Frisk disappeared. Not the best wake-up call I’ve ever had.”

Dogamy grimaced, and then a look of concern came to him. “Your Frisk...are they?” He was piecing things together, though Gerson inwardly wanted to whack him on the head.

The sound of rushing footfalls jerked their attention away as Mettaton practically slid into the corridor. “Where’s the fire--what’s the emergen---” As he got closer, he slid to a halt, stumbling back. “Cy…” His eyes dimmed fully, before jerking back to life, and like the others, he looked to the child, and then at the two. “Wha…?” 

“No time for questions,” Gerson said. “I think Undyne should be taken to the lab.” 

Alphys nodded in agreement. 

“The repairs I did will hold, but I want to make sure this doesn’t happen again. And if we have to go through the rift again, I have to make sure it doesn’t short out her DT recycler fully.”

“I’m fine…” Undyne protested weakly. Alphys just gave her a look.

“Don’t pull that “tough girl” act on me,” she warned. “You were melting in my arms a minute ago, and I will not have it happen again because you think you’re invincible!” Alphys’s voice had risen as she spoke until by the end she was shouting. 

Undyne flinched, her ear fins drooping, visibly cowed.

“Yes ma’am…”

The other four stared, with Mettaton blinking rapidly. “I think I got another virus...I’m seeing things.” _Did Alphys just...talk someone down...and Undyne of all people!?_ He shook his head again. How were they? He glanced back at Frisk, while the child gave a helpless shrug. It was best to just go with it currently. 

_‘You’re going to be seeing stars at this rate,’_ Gerson grumbled to himself. “Enough gawking and help us get to the lab. Alphys is going to need everything, and you’re the only one who knows where everything got moved to.” 

Alphys gave Mettaton a confused glance, but then returned her attention to Undyne.

“Come on, let’s get down there. The sooner I can get this all worked out, the better.”

Undyne sheepishly followed Alphys, but as her gaze landed on Dogamy she remembered the question the canine had asked her, though she continued to follow her wife for fear of being yelled at again.

“Hey, don’t worry about our punk. He might not be a fighter, but he’s tough as nails. He just slept for a couple months straight while Chara took over.” 

The others glanced at her oddly, with Frisk gripping tight to Dogamy’s head. “What…?” the canine asked in confusion. 

Gerson gave a confused look. “Chara...that’s the name of one of the little ones, right?” he asked, looking up to Mettaton.

Mettaton nodded solemnly. “Correct. That’s the one we see more often with Grillby and Muffet.”

Gerson looked to Dogamy. “Did the new reports…?”

“Nothing.”

The turtle shook his head. “She won’t be happy to hear that.” 

“Hey!” Alphys called back at them, poking her head back into the golden hallway. “If you’re still living down here, does that mean the elevators are still working?”

Mettaton tilted his head in confusion, and then raced to catch up. “All elevators in the Underground are one hundred percent operational.”

“At least there’s _that_.” Alphys grumbled, barely keeping ahold of her fraying patience. “I don’t suppose the true lab is operational as well?” 

“The true lab hasn’t had much use in the past few years,” Mettaton explained. “Thankfully everything works fine.” Mettaton’s fingers combed through his oddly messy hair. “If you need anything, I can redirect power to any inactive machines.”

“Well, If it’s anything like my old lab, it’ll be the most likely to have the things we need.” Alphys looked back at the group following them, then back up at Mettaton, really looking at him for the first time. “It’s probably best if you do that… but since when do you know about redirecting power and keeping systems running? As far as I know, you can barely keep your body running without a checkup every so often!”

Mettaton blinked, glancing back as Gerson motioned to keep his mouth shut about certain facts. Thankfully, Mettaton was an actor, and then looked to her, not missing a beat. “Well, I was going to have to learn sometime,” he said. “I can’t always have someone to fix me and the like…” 

_‘I still haven’t the slightest idea of what’s going on…’_

Alphys narrowed her eyes, but said nothing, quickening her pace. She supposed that if some things were different here, it was possible that some people would be working different jobs but… Mettaton hadn’t denied that it was out of character for him to be working in a lab. She shoved those thoughts aside for now. She could worry about that after she had a more in-depth look at Undyne’s recycler. 

“Come on, the sooner we get this over with, the better.”


	3. Answer Me

“Here we are,” Mettaton said as they entered the lab. Due to being in a rush, the lights had been left on--but even if he hadn’t been called out like that, he still would have kept the power to the lab. He went over to the computer, the desk neat and organized, and having only one pile of paper--and even that was neatly stacked. He minimized something, and went into something else to get the power going.

Beside the computer, but kept under the protection of a case, with scanners connected to it, was an odd looking thing that looked like a gun from some strange anime or video game. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn’t getting out of that case easily.

Alphys swallowed. The second she stepped into the lab… she knew. The way the place looked, the way it smelled, fresh and clean… no version of her had set foot in here in a very long time. It was possible that she was very different in this world but… something in her gut told her that wasn’t the case. 

She cast a glance at the child, attempting to be subtle about it and failing miserably, trying to suppress a shudder. What had happened here?

“Mettaton?” came a quiet voice from upstairs. “What’s going on…?”

“Stay where you are, Blooky!” Mettaton called up. “I’ll be up there in a bit.”

“Whoa! It looks… clean in here!” Undyne said in surprise.

Alphys shook her head and re-focused. Undyne was her only priority for now. Anything else could wait. 

“Have you been doing any experiments with Determination recently?” Alphys asked, shaking her head slightly in an attempt to refocus on what was important here… namely Undyne.

Mettaton came back with a quick-fire response. “Determination research ceased about forty-two days after the barrier broke, but all research files are intact, with patient records, entry logs, and notes all recorded.” It sounded like he was listing things off right off the bat, his eyes odd for a moment, before they went back into focus. “If you need anything that is not on hand,” he said as the elevator powered up. “Let me know, and I’ll see what I can do.”

Nervous, Frisk slipped down from Dogamy, and darted up the stairwell, partially to get away--and partially to avoid having Napstablook find out for a while longer...and also partially to steal them as their personal teddy bear for a bit. 

Undyne watched the child go, but then her attention was caught by the encased gun. She gave an impressed whistle as she examined it.

“Hey, that looks kinda familiar... Alphys have we seen this one before?” 

The reptile gave no sign that she noticed Undyne’s question, she stood in front of the elevator doors, twitching impatiently. She really, _really_ wanted to get out of the lab as soon as possible.

“Don’t touch it,” Mettaton warned hastily as the elevator doors opened. “I really don’t need another monster dragging themselves around like they’re half-dead. That thing drains monster magic.” A hand clenched into a fist, metal creaking softly. “If you don’t want to be a zombie for a month, unable to use magic, then I suggest keeping away from it.” Then, he beckoned the fish warrior over. “Here...power should be on down there as well.”

Dogamy looked over. “Will you be needing any other assistance?” he asked, tilting his head. “I’m not much with machines, but I can at least fetch some items if need be.”

Alphys hesitated while Undyne recoiled in disgust from the weapon, her upper lip curling into a snarl. She looked like she was ready to smash it at any moment.

“If you think it would be helpful…” Alphys said finally, rubbing her forehead with her scaled hands. “I haven’t been down here in years and things might be… different here.”

“Why would you keep something like that around?” Undyne demanded, walking back over to the group, still scowling.

Mettaton stepped into the elevator, along with Dogamy. “Because my cousin was hit by that. Ghosts are pure magic--I have to figure out what makes it work so that I can help them,” he stated, his voice calm, and yet...there was something else underlying it.

Dogamy rested his hand on the robot’s shoulder. “Easy, Mettaton. They’re all right, I’m sure we’ll figure out how it works...and perhaps return the magic.”

Mettaton huffed, leaning against the back wall. “Well, I’ll be giving those humans a lovely encore when we finally find whatever hole they crawled into.”

The canine gave a nod. “Only if Grillby and Muffet don’t get them first.”

“...that’s true.”

They looked up as Gerson came over, and Dogamy gave a soft sound of irritation. “Gerson…”

Mettaton stepped forward. “Honestly.”

The two leaned forward, glaring at him. “Go upstairs and rest, before you fall over.”

The turtle gave them a stubborn look, while Mettaton huffed. “Do I have to tie down every patient with metal chains just to stop them from overexerting themselves?”

“With this turtle, yes,” Dogamy replied.

Mettaton slowly turned to stare at the dog monster. “Like you’re one to talk. I actually had to get a leash to keep you in bed.”

Gerson snickered, while Dogamy grumbled at them both. “Fine,” the turtle started. “If you whippersnappers are just going to complain, I’ll keep an eye on the kid and Napstablook. Try not to break anything.” With that, he slowly headed off for the stairs. 

As the elevator doors closed and the descent began, Both Undyne and Alphys were silent. The fish-warrior’s scowl remained on her face, while Alphys’s look was more of concentration than anything else. The smaller reptile had to keep murmuring “Focus on Undyne, focus on Undyne,” under her breath. She really wished there was the opportunity to just sit down and figure things out… but it seemed that that time would be a ways off, if it ever came at all.

Meanwhile, Undyne was getting angry. Humans… developing a weapon to drain magic? Cheating bastards. Wherever she was in this world, she’d better be kicking some serious ass right now, otherwise, she was going to have to go out there and show her counterpart how it was done.

She had half a mind to do it anyways.

The elevator came to a stop, revealing a lighted hallway. Mettaton glanced out. “Things haven’t been used in a few years, but it should be in working condition.” Dogamy followed him, glancing about. He never had to go down in this place, but thinking about it… He suppressed a shudder. His parents… However, he pushed that aside. They had someone who needed help. 

“Umm, okay,” Alphys started, glancing nervously around. She had never thought she would set foot in this place again. “Uh, it’s probably best if we do this in the DT extraction room... Dogamy, if you can, could you get anything that was used in those experiments?” She looked up at Mettaton. “I’m guessing y-you have a list?”

“Everything was moved to the TV room--for once a convenience, it’s right next to where we need to go.”

“Then I’ll go on ahead,” Dogamy replied, picking up his pace.

Mettaton folded his arms. “If I find you on the floor, it’s your own fault!” he called after the canine, shaking his head in mild annoyance.

Fortunately, this lab was exactly like her own, so it didn’t take long to get to the room in question… especially with Alphys setting the pace. The upper lab had made her feel uncomfortable, but this was even worse. 

“I’ll need you to sit in front of the extractor,” she instructed Undyne once they reached the room. “And please… stay still, alright?”

Undyne didn’t say anything, but walked over to the spot Alphys had motioned too, and sat stiffly. She was obviously tense, and Alphys looked nervously at her. Much as she loved the warrior, she could be… brash. And that was exactly what they didn’t need, especially with her recycler in questionable condition.

Dogamy poked his head out of a doorway, and then carried out two boxes, setting them near the lizard with a quiet huff, looking drowsy. “There’s more in the room if what you want isn’t here,” he assured her, while Mettaton stepped back, out of the way unless needed, but watching with an odd interest.

“Thanks,” Alphys muttered distractedly, turning her focus to the boxes. She rifled through them, pulling out various pieces and equipment before tossing them to the side in mounting frustration. 

She rubbed a clawed hand against her forehead, wiping away the sweat as she did so. 

“D-damn it… all of this.. it’s old tech. It might have been compatible with the old recycler but…” She looked to Mettaton. “Is there anything… newer we can work with?”

Mettaton gave a worried hum of thought. “We haven’t done anything with this in years, but...maybe if I could scan whatever that recycler is, I could work something out?” 

Dogamy tilted his head. “Are you sure?”

“Worth a shot,” Mettaton replied.

Alphys bit her lip, then nodded slowly. 

“I agree.. we’ll see if you can figure anything out.”

Before they could begin however, Undyne whipped her head around to stare at Dogamy.

“They drained you of magic too, didn’t they?” she asked quietly, her voice shaking slightly with anger.

The dog closed his eyes, tilting his head away and down slightly, before slowly glancing back to her with a nod. “I was one of the victims,” he confirmed. “But they don’t have many more places to run.” His eyes narrowed. “We’ll find them, and return the favor.” 

“Who did this?” Undyne demanded hotly. “Who would even make something like that?” 

“Undyne…” Alphys murmured nervously. 

“Humans who don’t want us around,” Dogamy stated simply. 

“They’re lower than most humans though,” Mettaton said, folding his arms. “They’re pigs...they kidnapped our Frisk--used them to learn of our magic types...they nearly killed Grillby’s niece…”

“They blinded my brother--”

“NGAAAAAAAH!” Undyne roared, leaping to her feet, pure fury gleaming in her eye, her face twisted with rage. Alphys quickly called out;

“Undyne! Warzone behind you!”

The fish warrior turned immediately at the codeword, balling her hands into fists and leaping at the massive DT extracter she had been sitting in front of. She immediately began tearing into it, her fists leaving dents in the metal, bending it with surprising ease. Fuelled with anger and her natural strength, the huge machine was quickly being reduced to a pile of scrap metal.

As the sound of shrieking metal filled the air, along with Undyne’s roars, Alphys looked helplessly at the other two.

“S-sorry… it’s been a… an interesting day.” She mumbled.

Mettaton stared. “I...really hope I wasn’t ever going to need that…”

“Don’t you have the blueprints…?” Dogamy asked warily.

“Do you not know how many projects I have?” Mettaton moaned. “With the magic weapon, Frisk, keeping the Underground in operation...I won’t be able to have a normal recharge until the next century at this rate.”

Dogamy patted his shoulder. “Hang in there.”

“I’m trying…”

“Drama King.” 

“Uhh, if you do e-end up needing it, I could help with the process?” Alphys offered, wincing at a particularly loud shriek that filled the air. “It would be the least I can do… B-but, hey! Better it than us… right?”

Mettaton pulled a smile, while Dogamy put his attention on putting the old items back in their boxes. “I...suppose,” the robot replied.

‘ _This Undyne is just as violent as our own…_ ’ Dogamy murmured to himself. ‘ _Hate to think it...but it’s probably best that they can’t come face-to-face._ ’ He would like to still have a planet to stand on.

The sound of screeching and groaning metal began to fade, and finally Undyne stood with her back to the others, her shoulders heaving in exertion, and raspy pants emanating from her maw. 

She turned, facing the group again. She seemed composed once more, but there was still a deadly gleam in her eye. 

“Tell me they’re being hunted down,” She stated quietly, though there was an undercurrent of steel in her voice. 

Dogamy nodded. “I can promise you that.” A low growl escaped him, fur bristling momentarily. “They have two of our pack mates, and for Grillby and Muffet’s sake at the very least--we’ll fight tooth and nail to get them back.”

Mettaton gave a helpless shrug. “They’re the type of humans who can’t change--but honestly--they’re trouble for the humans as well. Their leader’s still in the hospital because he helped us in that fight.”

The dog looked up tiredly. “Some of our other human comrades were wiped out pretty badly as well, but humans and monsters alike are teaming up to find the rest of this organization and tear them apart.”

“It’ll be our pleasure when we find them,” Mettaton assured. “After everything they did…”

“Good.” Undyne’s voice was like the crack of a whip, and the woman was visibly struggling to keep from summoning her magic.

“Ummm, if we could get back to the matter at hand?” Alphys asked. “If you’re finished breaking things?” 

Undyne huffed, folding her arms in front of her chest. She looked away, idly rubbing her simple gold wedding band as she did so.

Mettaton glanced to the wedding bands, his gaze lasting no longer than a second each. Then, he stepped forward. “If I may?” he asked, holding out a hand toward Undyne, an odd light coming to his eyes.

“Just do it. Not everything has to be a bloody ceremony.”

“I just want permission, that’s all,” he assured. His hand hovered over the recycler, an odd light coming off his palm, scanning the item as data in the form of zeroes and ones danced in front of his eyes.

A minute later, the scan finished, and Mettaton stood, completely frozen, before turning suddenly. “All right, I see the materials,” he told Alphys, as he came over, and kneeled beside her. “I think I can get those, but as for the…”

Realizing that this was going to become confusing talk for him, Dogamy slowly inched away as a conversation full of science terms began. 

Undyne was less subtle, striding out of the room, and into the hallway, her feet thudding on the tiled floor. She leaned her head against the wall, growling angrily, her hands sporadically clenching and unclenching. 

“Will you be all right?” the canine monster asked as he approached, his question opened to various answers as he leaned against the wall casually, though he felt better as it allowed him to rest a little. 

Undyne gave an incredulous laugh.

“Me? _I’m_ the one you’re worried about here?” she turned, resting her back against the wall. “Gerson looked like he was dragged through hell, and his magic signature was even weaker than yours! The only one I’ve sensed with anywhere near the proper level is Mettaton.” Her eyes narrowed. “ _I’m_ fine. But you guys aren’t. Don’t think I haven’t noticed, Dogamy… hell, I _trained_ you. Just because I’m not a Guard anymore, doesn’t mean that I forgot.” 

“Like someone like you could ever forget something like that,” he replied. “Yes, we’ve been dragged through some rough times, but, you taught the Royal Guard to be resilient, so we still stand, despite it all. And, while my magic is weak, it is slowly recovering. Gerson’s will as well, and his shell will heal. I worry about you because you were _melting_. Captain or not, I rather not have that happen again.

“We’ll be fine in the end,” he murmured. “Our magic will recover, and we’ll come back at full strength.”

Undyne looked at him for a moment, before letting a wide grin split her face. “Hell yeah! _That’s_ what I’m talking about! Standing strong in the face of adversity, overcoming all odds!” She held the grin for a few moments before letting it fade. 

“Seriously though, Dogamy… I need to know. What are the chances of us getting attacked here? From what I’ve been hearing, there’s been a lot of danger around here… not that anyone will give me a straight answer on anything…” She gave the canine a pointed stare. “But if we’re gonna be here for a while… you guys are vulnerable right now, and as long as Alphys is worried about this thing,” She gestured to the recycler on her arm. “I may not be able to access all my power. Not without risking melting again at least.”

“You shouldn’t have to worry about an attack down here,” Dogamy assured. “We’ve yet to be attacked in the Underground by the city dwellers. Besides, Mettaton’s connected to our security system, and we have cameras outside now. If someone did try to get up here, we’d know and be able to prepare.The danger has been an outside problem for the most part, but with Frisk being the ambassador, and with monsters getting a chance at freedom, it’s a risk to take--though thankfully the Leader is just fine with holding off meetings until we’re able to move again.”

“Good.” She clenched her hands into fists. “And if something _does_ happen, you’ll let me know, right? I’d love to give these guys a taste of how the Executioner does things.”

Dogamy tilted his head with a hum of confusion. “Executioner?” His head tilted the other way. “Your kingdom has one?”

“Oh, right,” Undyne muttered. “I forgot you probably wouldn’t know… hell, I didn’t even know about it until a couple months ago. Basically, it means I’m one of the strongest Monsters there is, and my role is to help carry out the decisions of the other two, the Judge and the Jury.” She shrugged. “I meet up with Sans and Toriel every once in awhile to discuss things.” She frowned. “Chara’s up there too, she’s almost as strong as me at full power! But… she’s not technically a Monster either so… I guess she got overlooked.”

“That little ghost has that much power?” Dogamy asked in confusion, while something else stirred inside him. Sans and his Queen...it seems they were alive in this world as well, that was good to know.

“Ghost? What? I’m still not sure _what_ Chara is… but she’s definitely not a ghost…”

“It’s the best thing I can relate our’s with,” the canine said with a shrug. “They don’t have a body of their own, so they’re just a loose soul that would float around after whoever they pleased--mainly Grillby and Muffet.”

“Huh. When I met ours, she was in Frisk’s body. That was one hell of a shocker, let me tell ya. But Alphys built her a body a while back, kinda like Mettaton’s but less… flashy. And pink.” Undyne rolled her eye. “Honestly… pink?” She muttered to herself. “Such a stupid color…”

Dogamy shrugged with a soft chuckle. “Don’t let one of my daughters hear that,” he murmured. “Though I’ve been told our Chara has that capability to go into another’s body.”

Undyne’s eye narrowed in thought. 

“Huh.” She groaned, rubbing a hand over her face. “Damn it, all I wanted was to tell Alphys that Alexander said his first word! This crap was _not_ what I had in mind!”

“Alexander?” Dogamy asked on reflex, not recognizing the name, and it was only after he asked that he felt Gerson would probably be after him for doing so.

Undyne’s face morphed into a soft expression. “My son… Our son. A little ball of destruction, and he’s clever enough to be able to get to where he’s-” Her body went rigid. “Wait. How do you not know that?” She locked her yellow eye onto Dogamy’s in a steely gaze, taking a step towards the canine. Though nothing had really changed, she suddenly seemed to be looming over him. 

“Answer me!”

Dogamy raised his hands on instinct, before he suddenly jerked his head to the side, ears rising as a faint: “Captain!” came through the halls.

He sidestepped away with an apologizing look, though he was secretly grateful to dodge the question. “Just a moment,” he murmured, before half running, to where the hall branched off, stopping at the intersection, and Undyne caught a glimpse of black armor. 

“Captain--we’ve got a message--I was going to call you,” came a female’s voice. “But cell phones don’t work down here, so I had to come find you.”

Dogamy waved a hand dismissively. “It’s fine, 02. What’s the issue?”

“The Humans wanted to send--what’s his name--the orange eyed one we always see…”

“Michael?” Dogamy questioned.

“Right...they wanted to send him up with something they didn’t want to risk doing over the web.”

Dogamy breathed out, rubbing his head. “...tell them tomorrow,” he said. “Things are hectic as is today--and also tell them that when it comes to that human, they need not ask permission for him to come up here.”

“Right, Captain--I’ll tell them.” With that, the woman was racing off, the sound of metal clanking swiftly fading away.

Undyne had frozen at “Captain”, but she swiftly recovered. It could mean any number of things but… damn it! She needed answers! She had quickly followed Dogamy, and was quick enough to catch the guard he had been talking to turning away, seeing the woman’s antennae bobbing above the helmet. 

04\. But Dogamy had called her 02… which meant…

“Undyne?” She heard Alphys call from behind her, the sound of claws and metal feet tapping on the floor signifying her and Mettaton’s approach, but she paid them no mind. She was trembling again, not from melting this time, but out of anger as she felt her Determination surge through her. 

She would have her answers, and then… she was going to make every last son-of-a-bitch _pay_ for what had happened here. Her recycler began humming loudly and her entire body began to glow. 

Dogamy glanced worriedly over at Undyne, and slid a step back, while Mettaton jerked. “Alphys…?” he asked with a heavy tone of concern, unsure of what to expect from that.

“Undyne! No!” Alphys cried out in alarm, rushing to the warrior’s side. “Your recycler… it can’t handle that right now!”

There was no response as the light continued to brighten, already it was nearly impossible to see Undyne’s body from the light emanating from it. 

“I didn’t want to have to do this…” Alphys reached for the recycler and pressed her claws against it, shielding her eyes against the light. She made a couple motions, then the light began to fade, leaving Undyne blinking in confusion, still the same as she had been before.

“Alphys? What did-” Her eye rolled back up into her head and she collapsed, Alphys barely managing to keep her head from striking the floor.

“Undyne!” the other two cried out in alarm, both dropping beside the fish warrior.

“What was that!?” Mettaton exclaimed. 

Alphys looked up sharply, her gaze narrowing on Dogamy.

“She was trying to shift into her Undying form… which means that she was either furious, or she thought there was danger here. What did you _do_?”

“I did nothing!” Dogamy exclaimed. “Though--” His ears drooped down. “I think she was starting to get mad at me when I didn’t know who your son was...and then before I could answer, one of the guards came and I had to tend to that, by the time I was done...that--whatever it was--was already happening!” He was babbling, trying to show his case, but at the same time, was still caught off guard. 

There was a sharp intake of breath and Alphys closed her eyes for a moment. She had figured that would be the case of course but… hearing it said out loud…

“Just… help me get her to the room with the beds, alright?” she managed tiredly. “She’s not gonna wake up for six or seven hours at least… maybe more. It’s been a long day.”

The two nodded, and swiftly helped pick her up, the two moving her with relative ease, though Dogamy was out of breath by the time they got her to one of the beds. Mettaton looked over in concern. “She’s not the only one who needs rest, Dogamy.” 

“You should probably listen to him.” Alphys muttered, her eyes still on Undyne and one hand stroking the warrior’s hair. “We can handle things from here… or I can, if Mettaton needs to recharge.”

“If I’m working upstairs, I can recharge and do work--I’m on a good energy level for now though.”

Dogamy slowly stood. “Then, Mettaton, I trust you to take care of things. I’ll come back in the morning.”

“...that’s only if Dogaressa doesn’t chain you to the house again.”

“Do not remind me of that,” he mumbled, before Mettaton grabbed him.

“Go. Straight. Home. That’s an order.”

“Since when were you higher ranking than me?”

“Since you became a patient, now go get some rest.”

Alphys was quiet as Dogamy left. She sat on the edge of the bed Undyne rested on, briefly wishing she could just cuddle up next to her and forget about all of this. But that wasn’t going to happen.

“I’m impressed, Mettaton,” she murmured finally, still not looking up. “I wouldn’t have expected you to be… taking on these roles. Scientist… doctor...and you’re taking them seriously too. It’s not like it’s a game.”

Mettaton turned, glancing at her silently. “I can’t afford to treat it like a game,” he said simply. “This isn’t a show where I can have a second take if I mess up, and right now, this is what the kingdom needs me to be.” 

Alphys’s shoulders slumped and she removed her glasses to rub at her eyes before returning them to her snout. 

“I’m dead, aren’t I?” she asked quietly. “Here, at least. And Asgore, a-and Toriel… Frisk was wearing Sans’s hoodie _and_ Papyrus’s scarf… A-and Undyne…” She choked on the words. “She’s gone too, isn’t she? That’s why everyone was acting so strangely around us... because we’re not supposed to be here.”

Mettaton tapped his fingers together, making a soft hiss of reluctance. “Well...I’m not quite sure how accurate ‘dead’ is at this point, but...yes. The six of you...it’s been about four years--it happened shortly after the barrier broke. ...I’m sorry.”

Alphys took a deep, shuddering breath. 

“What happened? Wait-” She added quickly. “Don’t tell me. I don’t… not yet anyway. This is all… so much. I n-never really did much into theories on alternate dimensions, and now here I am… in one like this.... I-I’m so s-sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Mettaton replied. “I rather...if I have to tell it, I would like to just tell it once, and it’d probably be best to have Dogamy, Gerson, my cousin, and Grillby and Muffet around as well as our Frisk. Between the lot of us, I think you can get the full story.”

“T-that makes sense…” Alphys murmured. “Undyne’s gonna want answers soon, but if I tell her she’ll get the full story, she should be content to wait… as long as it isn’t too long. B-but, we might w-want to make sure there’s nothing breakable around…” She thought for a moment before saying. “On second thought, j-just nothing that’ll be missed… nothing’s unbreakable when it comes to Undyne…”

“I’ll see if we can sacrifice a room somewhere that doesn’t have heirlooms or such.” Mettaton knelt down so that they were more at eye-level. “Would you like something to eat? It sounds like it was a long day.”

“That does sound like a good idea…” Alphys got off the bed, reluctantly removing her hand from Undyne’s hair. “I uh… was working on a project when this happened… I’m actually not sure when I ate last.”

Mettaton gave a sound of soft amusement. “You always did have trouble keeping track of time, didn’t you? Anyways, due to having patients in the lab recently, there’s been a few additions upstairs for food storage--so there’s probably more than what you had last.”

“Alright,” Alphys said, taking a deep breath. “A-after you.”


	4. Magic Types

Mettaton came back into Alphys’s view at the top of the escalator. “Well, my cousin has to be the most accepting Monster in the history of this kingdom.” He motioned her up, sweeping his arm in a wide, dramatic gesture. It seemed some things just didn’t change.

Alphys hesitantly ascended the escalator. This wasn’t her lab anymore after all. She briefly rubbed her claws on her lab coat, suddenly feeling self-conscious and wishing she’d been wearing something more suitable. 

She wished that the escalator didn’t carry her to the top so fast…

Instantly, there were some very noticeable changes. Her bookshelves were moved, and in their place were appliances to make up the bare minimum of a kitchen. Her work table was still there, though the poster that used to hang up above it was not. Her bed was actually opened, and she could see the ghost resting in it. Ghosts being see through was nothing new, but she actually had to peer close in order to see them.

Hiding behind an open door of the closet, was Frisk, who then darted back to the bed, their attire different now so that it looked like they were wearing a draping cloak that hid most of them away. Their gaze kept away from the lizard as they jumped onto the bed and ducked under the blankets. “What would you like?” Mettaton asked. “I think we have noodles--if that’s your thing.”

“That’s fine…” Alphys mumbled distractedly, still peering around the room. She paused as her gaze passed over Napstablook. “H-hi…”

“Oh…” They looked at her sheepishly. “Hello…” they managed tiredly, becoming more see through for a moment, nearly invisible as Mettaton set to work. 

Alphys twiddled her claws nervously. She’d honestly not seen much of Mettaton’s cousin, except for that one incident a couple months ago. And even then…

She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. Instead, she followed Mettaton into the kitchen.

The robot already had a pot of water boiling, a packet of ramen on the counter. He was now in the refrigerator though, and came back out with a plate of sandwiches. Half of them were normal, but the other half were different, and see through. He set them next to the packet, and then knelt under the sink, getting three cups. “Soda?” he asked her simply. 

Alphys nodded. 

“Yes please. I can’t believe you still have some after all this time…”

“Well...I have my reasons--you’ll probably figure it out soon enough,” Mettaton replied, taking out a can, and then a jug of Spider Cider, quickly filling two cups with it, and then putting it back. A few moments later, he held out her cup of soda. “Here you are, Alphys,” his other hand grabbing the noodle pack. 

She accepted the cup, sipping at it and smiling at the familiar taste. Whatever was different here… at least that was still the same. Her body relaxed, sagging a little.

“Th-thank you.” She said quietly.

The robot smiled, and nodded. “No problem,” he said as he went back to preparing the noodles. “Hmm...fork or chopsticks?” he asked, making a hum of thought. 

“Uhh, fork I think.. We haven’t been able to keep chopsticks in the house for months now… I’m not sure I even remember how to use them.” She gave a nervous chuckle. “Not that I was ever all that good in the first place…”

“Good choice--I’m not sure if I had any,” Mettaton replied--if perhaps sheepishly. “Hmm, is it because of this Alexander I’ve been hearing about?”

“Yeah,” Alphys admitted. “He loves collecting things and bringing them back to his crib… and he seems to have a special fascination for those.” She gave a little smile. “N-not that that stops him from breaking them and getting splinters everywhere. Last time, he got some in his eye, so we just got rid of them all. Minimize the amount of havoc he can cause. 

“Thankfully, Undyne can usually keep him from wrecking too much… though I worry about what kind of trouble he’ll cause when he gets older.. He’s not even a year old yet!” 

Mettaton smiled slightly as he worked. “Sounds like the kind of darling you two would have. What does he look like? More of you or Undyne in appearance? From the sounds of it, he’s inherited Undyne’s love for...breaking things.” 

“He takes more after me...” She murmured, her eyes unfocused as she thought back to her son. “He’s definitely more reptilian, he’s got a stubby little tail and beautiful dark green scales. His body type is more upright than mine though, if that makes sense… he’ll probably be taller than me once he’s fully grown… Oh! And his gills opened up on the sides of his neck last month.” She giggled. “You should have seen Undyne’s face when she found out… I was worried that the top of her head would fall off, she was grinning so big. And the whole time, Alexander was just looking up at us with those big brown eyes that just melt your heart…”

“That certainly sounds like a darling,” Mettaton murmured with a laugh. “It’s always the brown eyes that get everyone apparently.” Mettaton glanced over as he grabbed a bowl. “Any other little kids on your side? Seeing as the others sound like they’re doing fine over there.” 

Alphys hummed, thinking for a moment. 

“I remember Undyne saying that Dogamy and Dogaressa had a litter a while back, and we found out that Toriel’s expecting a couple months ago… I can’t think of anyone else though, especially since most of the Monsters have been spreading out over the past few years.”

“Our Dogamy has a litter as well--but--” Then it clicked. “Toriel!?” he exclaimed. “Did she actually get back together with King Asgore!?” 

“I thought they would…” came a very quiet voice from the other side of the room.

Mettaton smiled widely. “That’s fantastic!” With that, he put the bowl of noodles on the tray with the sandwiches, and the drinks as well, before carefully picking up. “Come, you can eat over here with Blooky and Frisk...if they would stop playing ‘I’m not here’.”

Napstablook smiled tiredly. “Sorry...they’re really shy…”

“And so they run to their teddy bear,” Mettaton mused.

“It’s alright… this must really be a shock to them.” Alphys said, following Mettaton over. “I-I’m not sure I would be taking all this as well as you are, to be honest.” She looked over at the bed. “I’ve never heard of anyone using a ghost as a teddy bear before though…”

Mettaton gave a soft chuckle. “You’d be surprised how good Blooky is at it.”

“Mettaton…” they mumbled. 

“No disappearing acts,” he replied with a smile as he sat on the edge of the bed and placed the tray down. “I need you to eat so you can recover a little faster.”

The ghost nodded tiredly, while the blankets moved as Frisk’s hand snuck out for a sandwich. 

Alphys grabbed her bowl and sat down, careful to keep a short distance between herself and the child. She began eating quickly, suddenly realizing that she was actually quite hungry. She’d been too focused on other things to really notice before.

Alternating between her drink and her food, Alphys asked,

“S-so.. Napstablook, Umm...” She mentally scrambled for something to say. “Are you doing alright?” she finished lamely, knowing how stupid the question sounded before the words even left her lips. She hunched more over her bowl, avoiding eye contact.

“Better than I was…” Napstablook said, nibbling slowly on a ghost sandwich.

Mettaton nodded. “Blooky was so drained when it happened that the only reason we didn’t leave them behind was because--as a ghost monster myself--I could still see what was left of their magic. It’s been a slow recovery though--as you can see, but I think once it gets past a certain point, the magic will return faster.”

“That’d be really nice…” Napstablook mumbled.

Naturally, Mettaton reached over, petting the ghost’s head, his other hand placing a sandwich in Frisk’s searching grasp. 

“It was Humans that did this right?” Alphys said quietly between bites. “We actually had a similar situation in my world… except they were trying to do the opposite. They wanted to give Humans magic again. They even kidnapped Frisk because they thought he used to have magic…”

“Have magic again…?” the cousins asked in confusion, and then looked to each other, before glancing back at her. “They don’t have magic now?”

Alphys looked up. 

“Of course not, Humans haven’t been able to use magic in centuries and…” She paused, her eyes widening as realization dawned. “Are you saying… that your Humans can use magic?”

Mettaton nodded. “Same types as us, too,” he started. “They’re a very ‘classed by magic’ society though.”

“Yeah...if you have green magic...you’re typically a healer of sorts…” Napstablook murmured.

“You can even tell a human’s magic type by their eye color,” Mettaton added. 

Alphys looked around in bewilderment. 

“Magic types? Green magic? What?”

Mettaton frowned, tilting his head. “...huh? Like..” He thought for a moment. “You have yellow type magic in our world...Undyne had green…” He tried to figure out where the confusion arose. Certainly their magics weren’t all that different…?

Alphys put her head in her hands, staring at the floor. 

“Those are the colours of our soul effects…” she muttered. “Is that what you’re talking about? I just have a little electricity based magic other than that… Undyne’s is pretty much exclusively creating spears, though she’s always been good at sensing magic too…”

“Sort of?” Mettaton replied. “Soul effects are usually in relation to your magic type. So a yellow magic type, has a yellow soul effect.”

“Though some monsters can have more than one magic type…” Napstablook said. “King Asgore had red, aqua, and orange.”

“And Gerson has green as well as yellow.”

Gerson--who had been sleeping in a chair next to bed began to rouse at the mention of his name. “What’s that about green and yellow?” he asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

“We were talking about your magic types,” Napstablook said. “Oh no, I’m sorry...maybe we shouldn’t have.”

Gerson breathed out softly, shaking his head. “How much does she know now?”

Mettaton dipped his head down. “Uh...the big details.”

“Knew I should have come down there with you. Too late for that now.” He waved it aside. “What’s the confusion?”

“Apparently their magic is different than ours slightly--at least in labelling.”

“I think it’s more than just labelling…” Alphys mumbled, not raising her head. “Soul effects are really rare, I only know… five Monsters that can use them, six if you count Chara. They’re almost as rare as Special Attacks. And they’re not related to the rest of our magic at all. Are you saying that everyone with magic can use one here?” 

“Something like that,” Gerson replied. “Harnessing the actual soul effect is difficult, but one can make attacks out of their respective magic types. Like most of the dog guard using aqua magic in their attacks. That ain’t a soul effect. Or Asgore forming a trident out of red magic, as another example. Green magic can be turned into ‘attacks’, but that’s only if you’re trying to heal someone that’s out of your reach.”

Mettaton gave a hum of agreement. “Humans are in the same boat, but unlike monsters, they can only learn the type they were born with. If a monster really wanted to--and had the capability, they could learn all of them.”

Gerson nodded. “I never saw for myself, but I was told that between the two skeleton brothers, you’d get all seven types. Though...it might be eight types now, after what happened with Rex.”

Alphys could feel herself beginning to panic and took a couple deep breaths to calm herself down. It helped… a little.

“Color coded magic... The only thing I know of like that is blue and orange magic, which I guess is technically just a weaker form of the base magic. I-” She stopped.

“I guess there’s more differences in our worlds than I thought. I don’t… Let’s talk about something else.” She rubbed her now sweaty palms together. “This is all a… a lot to take in.”

“Understandable,” Gerson replied. “Though what’s a safe topic currently?” he asked as Frisk adjusted the blanket to hide themselves, as well as Blooky. 

“I don’t know…” Alphys groaned. “I thought most things would be, b-but it sounds like your world h-has different rules than mine.” She sighed. “I’m sorry… I’ll probably handle it better later it’s just… a lot has happened today. A-and, I’m worried about Alexander. He’s home all alone, and h-he tends to get into all sorts of trouble…”

Gerson frowned worriedly, quickly putting two and two together. “What are the chances of someone finding him?” he asked.

Alphys shrugged helplessly. 

“I don’t know? It dep-depends on how long it takes for someone to notice we’re gone… Hopefully it won’t be too long, and Undyne seemed to think that Sans would know something was wrong and might check… I was going to ask her about that but… I didn’t get the chance before I had to send her to sleep.”

Gerson sighed. “That urchin, I swear, it don’t matter what timeline she’s from…”

“I...um…” Napstablook poked their head back out of the blankets. “Oh...I’m sorry, um...but...I think when it comes to Sans...you won’t have to worry. ...I’ve been told he’s really good at figuring things out in this area… Someone will probably find him really soon.” 

“And come tomorrow, we’ll try to get you back home if we can,” Mettaton assured.

“Thank you...” Alphys said softly. “It might take a while though… I have to make sure it’s safe for Undyne to go back, before I can even think about trying to work out how we can get back to our world. Right now, there’s no guarantee that the way we came here will bring us back home… or even anywhere at all.”

“Well,” Mettaton murmured. “Everything in the lab is free to use--it is technically yours... and I’ll be happy to offer any assistance if I’m able.”

Gerson nodded. “I’m not good with all those whatchamacallits, but I guess I can help with anything outside of that department.”

“Other than not knowing the difference between a calculator and a cell phone, he’s basically a walking library,” Mettaton assured.

Alphys gave a quiet grunt of conformation, finishing her bowl and placing it to the side. 

“Thank you,” she said again. “You’ve been very nice to us… especially given the circumstances. This… this can’t be easy...”

Gerson couldn’t help a laugh. “Compared to other things, this is a breeze. We’ll manage, one way or another.”

Mettaton looked down at a now empty tray of food, while Frisk poked out long enough to take their drink, and drain the cup. “Indeed,” the robot said in response, before standing up. “However, that’s after all three of you get some rest--don’t give me any talk back, I mean it. You are all resting until your magic recuperates.”

He deadpanned at that moving blankets where Frisk was hiding. “That means you too, Darling.”

Alphys glanced over at the child, a small smile on her face. Then she stood up with a groan, removing her spectacles and cleaning them on her dirty lab coat.

“I suppose that means back to work for me.” She put the glasses back on, her expressing shifting into one of focus. 

_Don’t worry Undyne, I’ll fix this._ She thought to herself. _Somehow…_

The turtle looked over tiredly. “Then I better get the Neck Warmer and I back to the house,” he said, slowly standing, and managing to coax the little one out, who adjusted their attire, their eyes shadowed by the odd hood that was somehow made to work with the white horns on their head.

“And I guess if she already knows this much, we should explain what happened,” Gerson continued. “Tomorrow--when we’re all finally up, we can tell them both.”

Mettaton nodded. “I’ll handle letting Dogamy know...and...somehow explain to Grillby and Muffet about interdimensional visitors, but no issue.”

Gerson dipped his head as Frisk clambered up onto his shoulders carefully. “See you in the morning.”

“I’d say okay, but your mornings have been after lunch time as of late.” As Gerson took the child away, Mettaton cleaned up, tucking the ghost in properly, and took everything to the sink. Then, he turned back to Alphys. “All right...let’s see if I can help you.”

 

Muffet sighed as she closed the cell phone, looking around her home in Hotlands. Though she and Grillby had been living in the city, they were staying here after the magic draining incident for numerous reasons. Muffet rubbed her head tiredly with one arm, setting the phone aside with another. Then, she headed back into the bedroom, opening the door slowly. “Grillby, dear?” she asked softly. “Are you still awake?”

There was the soft glow of flames, and the drained fire elemental slowly raised his head. In the conflict, when Grillby had been drained of his magic, it caused his form to be smaller as well, giving him the physical appearance of a child, but the fire elemental was mentally the same. “I am…” came his tired voice. “Who called?”

“It was Mettaton,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed as he snuck out from the covers, wearing clothing that seemed to be made out of silk and thread. After the incident, Muffet had used magic to give him temporary clothing until he recovered his physical form. He scooted over, and then they were sitting side by side. “...something um...interesting happened.”

“That can’t be good.”

Muffet shook her head, a smile appearing in amusement for only a moment, quickly fading away. That caused Grillby to look up at her in worry and concern. After the magic draining...she had been like that, and he hadn’t been able to do much in his state to keep her mind off her worries. 

Muffet folded one pair of hands, and drew him close with another. “Well, it makes our world less normal.”

“Just tell me,” Grillby murmured.

“...two Monsters came today...they’re...not from our world.”

Grillby perked at the term, his mind going back to someone else ‘who came from another world’. “Who...who were they?”

“Apparently, they’re Alphys and Undyne--from a world where they weren’t killed.”

His flames grew brighter--though not as much as they should have. “What!?” Then his flames dimmed again. “Sans…?”

“He didn’t come with them, but Mettaton said that he’s alive in that one as well…”

Grillby sighed in relief. “Then...what are we needed for?”

“Apparently Gerson decided we should tell them our story, so he wants us, Dogamy, and the cousins to meet up tomorrow whenever we happen to be awake.”

Grillby looked down at himself. “Are we sure about doing that? I’m not exactly in my most presentable form.”

“Well,” she said, putting her spare arms on her hips. “It’s either we both go, or we both stay home. I’m not leaving you behind,” she said, before suddenly yanking him onto her lap, hugging him like he was her teddy bear and someone had just threatened to take him.

“M--Muffet--” he protested, his flames starting to go pink. 

“Which do you want?” she mumbled.

“Uh--I--well--” It was a little hard to think when she was doing that… However, he made up his mind. “I suppose we should go. I won’t die from it.” Besides, it’d get her mind off other things. “And I think I’ll have enough magic soon so that I can regain my form.”

She gave a soft sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear,” she mumbled. “...though you are cute like this…” His flames went a deeper shade of pinkish red. However, he paused as he felt her tremble, and little droplets hit his head, instantly vaporizing.

He turned as much as he could. “Muffet…”

“They still haven’t found anything,” she managed, her voice choked. “I’m scared...it’s already been a month--anything could have happened to them by now!”

“Muffet--”

“You saw what they did to Frisk--what they were able to do to us--and we even saw what they’ve done to other human souls--and those two are defenseless and alone--and--and--”

“Muffet!” He reached up, his small hands gently grabbed her face, wincing as he wiped away tears. Usually, it didn’t hurt, but when he was this small, it stung a little. “Shh..” he soothed. 

She quivered and shook, but her silence gave Grillby an opening. “Muffet--those two are stronger than you know. Chara and Alma endured many things before--I’m sure we’ll find them, and no matter how the cards may fall…” His flames crackled, and his eyes turned into weak white flames. “I’ll make sure those humans will never be able to do something like that ever again. For now though, they need you--I need you to remain calm. We have a third child now, Muffet, we can’t lose them too.”

Muffet trembled, and tightened her grip on him. Thankfully, Grillby didn’t have lungs that could be crushed. However, they heard something push its way through the only partially closed door, and the two turned to see the oversized Cupcake trudge his way in, whining and trying to place his head on Muffet’s lap. With a hand, she gently stroked his head, causing Cupcake to rumble softly.

Grillby’s flames softened, and he looked up to her. “...want him to be on the bed tonight?”

Muffet nodded, and Grillby smiled. “Then let’s actually go to sleep, and maybe we’ll actually function tomorrow.”

“...fine, but you’re not leaving,” she grumbled, scooting without setting him down.

“Wouldn’t Cupcake make a more appropriate--”

“Shh!”

Grillby shook his head. “Dearest…”


	5. Nothing to Worry About

Rex yawned, walking through Waterfall. “Frisk,” they mumbled. “When I said you could call me at anytime...I didn’t think you’d take that literally…” They yawned again, and then shut their eyes, shaking their head as they tried to wake fully. Frisk had called them in the middle of the night--though it wasn’t that odd as of late.

Since the magic draining incident, Frisk would sometimes call for them like this. Rex frowned with worry. Usually Frisk would find comfort with Gerson, but, seeing how close the turtle had come to dying, it seemed the child sought for the only one that hadn’t actually been drained at all.

Rex shook their head, and then looked up as they heard the familiar music box song. Of course they’d meet here, where else? This was Frisk went to be alone...to break down. Traffic was never heavy along this pathway, and usually, Frisk could hear someone coming, even if they were crying.

Crying...Rex hated when they did that, and it seemed, the more they pressed forward, there were simply more reasons to shed tears, and it wasn’t right. They remembered the first time Frisk came down to the Underground. They had been quiet, but they had that fierce will to keep moving forward, but...that was slowly breaking down over time.

Their claws dug into the ground, eyes narrowing briefly. No, they would come give Frisk a shoulder to lean on...and now...it was a work in progress, but they could literally give a helping hand at long last. Frisk was their best friend, and they’d come to help...even if it was coming up on one in the morning and they should both be in bed.

“Yo…” Rex called softly, caught by surprise when they saw Frisk wearing the more concealing outfit. Rex had seen them wear it, but, it was usually when outside of the Underground so that the only thing the humans really had to stare at were the horns. Though, Mettaton would find ways to make the horns look like some odd headpiece, and not actually a part of the child. However, Frisk had only bothered with the cloak tonight. “Frisk?”

They sat down next to the silent human, and then moved their tail, entwining it with the smooth yellow lizard tail that they had. “...gonna talk about it?”

Frisk sighed, hugging their knees. “You...have to promise to believe me,” they said firmly.

“Huh…?” The young monster tilted their head. “Why wouldn’t I belie…?”

“Promise.”

Rex shook their head, and smiled. “Yo, I promise...good?”

Frisk nodded. “...people came into our world--they’re nice--but they’re the kind like...Alma.”

Rex jerked. “You mean from another timeline kinda thingy!?” They didn’t always understand Frisk’s explanations during one of their breakdowns--which was the only time they’d tell the monster such things, but Rex understood the general concept. “Wh--what do they look like…?”

“......Alphys and Undyne,” Frisk murmured, their face shadowed.

“Wh--what?”

“They’re Alphys and Undyne,” they clarified, voice trembling, and Rex paused as they noticed something glowing in Frisk’s hood. Rex concentrated for a moment, and Frisk’s hood was drawn back. The odd combination of human and monster looked to the reptilian. Their ear fins drooped low, and their dual colored eyes were brimming with tears. These tears were different, and were fluorescent orange or blue, depending on which eye they came from.

Rex gave them a soft look, and then nuzzled their face, wiping the tears away. They finally pulled back, and Frisk continued. “Th--they’re from a world where I--where I didn’t lose anybody--”

“Then...why are you here crying?” Rex asked.

“Why wouldn’t I be!?” Frisk exclaimed. 

“But...yo...if they’re from a world where...they didn’t die--shouldn’t you be happy?”

“But why...why couldn’t I have had it happy too?” Frisk asked. “What was wrong with having the happy ending here as well?”

The Monster sighed, head lowering. “I don’t know, but...yo...shouldn’t you be wherever they are right now? I mean...they are Alphys and Undyne--”

“That’s why I can’t!” Frisk exclaimed, clutching their head. 

Rex blinked several times. “Huh?”

Frisk pointed at their ear fins, and down at their tail. “What are they going to think if they see this?”

“Uh…”

“They’re--they’re going to think I absorbed the souls on purpose--” Frisk managed.

“Don’t you think you’re--”

“And they’re still asleep--I don’t have them here to say anything--and then they’re going to assume--and what will the others think when--IF--they wake up!?”

“Yo, you’re not listening…”

Frisk slowly slid down flat on their back. “Rex,” they managed, stretching the name out in a moan. “They’re all going to hate me.”

Rex raised their tail, and then whacked them with the smooth side of it. “Yo!” they shouted. “Your souls know you, they can’t ever hate you,” they assured. “Now, I can’t say anything for them, but, don’t you think if you explained, they’d understand?”

“But then they’d know…” Frisk murmured, wiping away more stubborn tears. “That--that in this one, I couldn’t s--save them…”

Rex sighed softly. “Yo...if they’re staying a while...they’re going to find out--wouldn’t it be better to just go up and confront them about it?”

Frisk whined. “Grandpa Gerson is already gonna do that...but I don’t want to be there when they--when they hear...but I have no way out of it…”

“Then...how about I come over?”

Frisk looked up, wiping tears away. “Hm?” they asked, tilting their head. 

“I’ll come over,” Rex replied, tilting their head with a smile. “Then you can at least persuade Gerson to let you not be at the conversation--we could just be in the next room over or something.”

The former human looked to them, and then with a soft cry, hugged them, burying their face into the reptile’s neck and shoulder. “Thank you--thank you--thank you!” Rex smiled widely, blushing all the while, but not caring in the slightest.

The reptile tucked their head over Frisk’s, mindful of the horns, and then, they slumped together by the statue, lulled to sleep by the soft music. It wasn’t a perfect fix, Frisk was still terrified of getting too close to Alphys and Undyne in more ways than one. But Rex’s assurance to be there made them feel confident. Rex was a loyal friend, and Frisk knew nothing short of dying was going to stop them. They had already proved that back when they helped save Frisk.

They slept for quite some time, tails tangled together with Frisk somehow ending up in Rex’s lap within the hour. It wasn’t the first time this had happened...and it wasn’t going to be the last with how things were going. 

A few hours later though, they jumped in alarm at the sound of a cell phone ringing. Frisk yelped, and drew their cloak back, diving their hand into a hoodie pocket, their hand slipping on it. They gasped as it shot into the air, and then was suddenly floating in front of Rex’s face. The reptile went cross-eyed, looking at it, stunned, while Frisk grabbed it back out of the air and opened it. “H...hello?”

“Frisk.” It was Mettaton.

“Yes...Uncle...Mettaton?”

Frisk could practically see the deadpan expression on the other side of the phone. “What have I told you about sneaking out at night?”

“Uh…”

“Precisely. Especially now, Frisk!” The robot sighed. “I have so many things to worry about...I don’t want you to be another right now, not after we just got you back. Frisk, head back home, and get some much needed rest, all right? I haven’t told Gerson, but if he wakes up and finds you gone…”

“Right…” Frisk mumbled. “I’ll start heading back…”

“Thank you...take care, little darling.” 

“Mm-hmm...see you later, Uncle Mettaton.” With that, they hung up, and both released withheld breaths.

“Yo...he can be kinda scary,” Rex murmured, then smiled. “Even if he’s just worrying a lot.”

Frisk blinked, and then smiled a little. “Yeah…” Then they stared at the phone, lost in thought. “Hey...what do you think the other Mettaton is like?”

Rex tilted their head. “Why do you ask?”

“Well...Uncle Mettaton changed a lot when he became the Royal Scientist. He gave up pursuing his dream, because the kingdom needed him...but...in that world, would he of had to make that sacrifice? Maybe he’s living his dream…”

“Yeah, but, yo, to be honest…” Rex ducked their head sheepishly. “I kinda like him better now, than before, when he was on TV. I don’t know, he just seems…” They shrugged, not knowing the word. Frisk didn’t either, but seemed to catch on.

Frisk nodded. “Well, there’s that…”

Rex hopped to their feet, and then leaned forward. “Come on, let’s not short circuit him out of worry--he always seems to know when you’re out though.”

Frisk reached out, grabbing onto what seemed like thin air. Rex stepped back, and they were pulled to their feet. “I’m not sure how he does that...does his magic have tracking?”

Rex shrugged. “I dunno, though he’s a ghost Monster, right? Yo, maybe he can see your aura from all the way across the kingdom.”

“Maybe…”

Rex smiled, and then nuzzled the former human. “Yo, take care of yourself. Call me when it’s near time, and I’ll come running.”

“Right…” Then, they hugged Rex again. “Thanks for coming...I know you didn’t have to do this, and I had you crawl out of bed at such a weird hour…”

“Yo, it’s fine,” Rex assured, blushing once more.

The two hugged each other, with fabric oddly moving on the back of Frisk’s clothes. Rex smiled, nuzzled them happily, and then they walked together, tails entwined. At this hour, the bird wouldn’t be there to give Frisk a lift to the other side of the gap, so the two would have to walk together all the way back to Snowdin...not that either complained over it.

So, they talked, smiled, and laughed. Frisk always found it easy to do things like that again, when with the child Monster, and so, it was worth sneaking out sometimes, to see them when they could truly be alone at that special little place, where the song always played.

 

“So… anyone have any idea why Sans called us here this early?” Frisk asked as he and his family stood just outside the elevator on the main floor of Undyne and Alphys’s home, waiting for it to move up to their level so they could descend into the lab. 

To no one’s surprise, there was nothing more than a vague grumbling sound from Chara, who was standing right behind Kid, her metal arms wrapped about the reptilian Monster’s torso and her head buried in his neck. She was still wearing the white tank top and torn slacks she took to bed. The reptile had spent the previous night at the Dreemurr’s house, so when the phone call had come in, he’d come along with them 

“I’m not sure, dear,” Toriel replied, taking a step back as there was a dinging noise and the elevator doors slid open with a hiss. “But Sans certainly sounded… agitated. It must be something important.” She stepped into the elevator, quickly followed by Asgore and the three teens. Chara never looked up from her improvised full-body pillow, just following along with Kid’s motions.

The armless Monster didn’t seem to mind though.

With the five of them, it was a little cramped in the elevator, especially with Asgore and Toriel being as large as they were. They were pressed uncomfortably together, but nobody complained too much, each of them occupied with their own ideas at what could have cause Sans to call them all here at seven in the morning on a Saturday. 

At least, everyone except for Chara, who was only wondering why she wasn’t still in bed. Last night had been the first night in four days that she hadn’t had any nightmares, and she was desperately trying to get back to that state.

The elevator stopped, and the group went through the opening doors, Asgore standing back up at his full height once they reached the short hallway that led to the lab. There was a large metal door that marked the entrance to the lab, and the family quickly made their way to it, Asgore reaching it first and opening it to let everyone else inside before entering himself. 

The collective gasp that arose from them was enough to have Chara raising her head, the red lights in her eyes dimming and brightening as she tried to focus on the room around her. 

The place was an absolute mess. Tools, machines and papers were all scattered about the place, reminding Frisk of the trash tornado in Sans’s old room. Speaking of, the skeleton was standing at the table in the middle of the room, typing furiously at a laptop. Not far from him, there was what seemed to be a tear in the very air itself, and a veritable vortex of colors could be made out within it. 

Across the room, stood Papyrus, cradling Alexander in his arms and singing quietly to the child. He looked up, his sockets seeming to light up as he noticed them.

“Hello, your majesties!” Papyrus enthused, though slightly quieter than he would have normally been. He put the child in his arms down in a crib beside him, gently stroking the crest on his head before returning his attention to the others.

“My brother called me here last night, he’s been working ever since! Can you believe it? My lazybones brother, working throughout the entire night! I’m impressed!”

“Sans….” Frisk said nervously, taking a step forward and scratching at his neck under Papyrus’s old scarf. “What… _is_ that?”

Sans looked up from his typing, then pulled away from the computer entirely, his grin seeming more strained than usual. 

“What, this? It’s just a hole in the fabric of reality. Nothing to worry about.”

The others stared blankly at him. The small skeleton sighed. 

“I could get into the specifics, but they don’t matter right now. What’s important is that not only is this a very real thing, but Alphys and Undyne are stuck on the other side of it somewhere.” 

“Stuck on the… you mean they went through _that_?” Asgore asked incredulously. 

“How did this happen?” Toriel asked, a calm veneer covering her features.

 

_Sans sat alone at Grillby’s; absently noting the differences in his mind's replica of the place. It was the one from the Underground, so it was smaller than the one he had grown accustomed to over the years. It was a lot darker than it should have been too, and it was an oppressive darkness, one that made the flickering of Grillby’s flames seem small and insignificant as he cleaned glasses behind the counter._

_Sans was the only occupant, and he drained the ketchup bottle in his hand slowly, savouring the taste. Or he would have been, if the ketchup didn’t turn to ash in his mouth. Huh._

_He looked around. Was it just him, or was everything going grey? Faintly he thought he could hear a voice calling his name, but he didn’t recognise it. He looked around, but didn’t see anybody, the fire elemental had vanished in the brief moment he had looked away._

_He got off the stool and stood, leaving the ketchup bottle on the counter before putting his hands in his pockets and closing his sockets._

_There was the sudden sensation that he was falling, but he didn’t open his sockets until the feeling ended. When he opened them again, he was standing in a grey, formless void, with another Monster standing across from him, wearing black robes and with two long cracks running up and down either side of his face._

_“Sans,” the figure rasped, his form turning to static for a moment before reforming. “Can you hear me?”_

_The small skeleton was trembling. He had been expecting another replay of his nightmares about the timelines. Not…_

_“Dad?” he managed._

_Gaster’s smile widened, just for a moment before turning to static again. His expression was more grim when he reformed._

_“Sans,” he said again. “Your friends, Alphys and Undyne… they are in trouble.”_

_Sans immediately stiffened._

_“What’s going on?” he asked quickly, momentarily putting his desire to ask his father other questions to the side._

_“There has been a… shift. A barrier that was never meant to be broken has been torn asunder.”_

_Sans rubbed at his forehead with his hands._

_“You’ve got to be **childing** me,” He groaned. “Even now, you’re still talking in those terrible riddles?”_

_"Even now, you’re still using those god-awful puns?” Gaster retorted, amusement in his voice._

_“Touche.”_

_“Listen Sans. Your friends are no longer a part of your world. But before you can return them, you must keep the tear from growing out of control. Now that it has begun, it will be difficult to stop.” Gaster looked away for a moment, before returning his gaze to the small skeleton._

_“I have little time. I will keep the tear from causing too much damage. But you must stabilize it on your end before it becomes too great for me to control.” The Monster began to fade. “Go to their home, you will find the answers you need there.”_

_“Wait! Dad, come back!”_

 

The memory flashed through Sans’s head in an instant, then he focused on answering Toriel’s question.

“Well, like you I’m a little _fuzzy_ on the details,” he began. “But from Alphys’s notes, it looks like she was doing an experiment with the dimensional boxes. Somehow…” He waved a hand at the rift. “ _This_ happened, and it looks like the two of them got sucked through. It was pretty unstable when I got here, it took me all night to get it this stabilized”

“Alright…” Chara said, detaching herself slightly from Kid while he stared at the portal, oblivious to everything else around him. She rubbed at an eye with her hand. “But why did you need to call us?”

“Coupla reasons.” Sans responded, his hands in his pockets as he looked over the group. “Firstly, somebody’s gotta take care of Alexander while his parents are gone.”

“The great Papyrus would volunteer for this job,” The taller skeleton inserted, taking long strides to stand beside his brother. “But I shall be accompanying Sans to the other side!”

“Which brings me to my second point.” Sans sighed. “I’m pretty sure I’ve stabilized the rift to the point where it’ll only take us between here and wherever Undyne and Alphys went. But even so… I don’t know what I’m gonna find on the other side. If anyone feels like tagging along, I could use the help.”

“I’ll come,” Chara said, yawning widely and rolling her shoulders. Sans blinked. 

“That was quick…” 

Chara shrugged. 

“It’s the weekend, so I won’t really be missing out on anything. Besides, it could be fun.”

“Chara…” Toriel murmured. The mechanical girl gave her mother a tired smile, brushing her bangs out of her face. 

“I’ll be fine, Mom,” she promised. “I’ll even bring you back a souvenir.”

“Well, this I have to see.” Frisk said, taking a step forward. “I haven’t had a good adventure in-” He stopped as a white-furred hand grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him back.

“And who said that you could go along?” Toriel asked, a threatening tone underlying her voice.

Frisk struggled in his mother’s grasp, to no avail.

“Aw, c’mon Mom! I can handle myself!”

“Frisk…” Asgore said. “Chara’s already going, and she’s one of our strongest fighters, not to mention an excellent diplomat.” Chara’s porcelain cheeks coloured slightly at the praise. “Your mother is right, it’s best if you stay here.”

“Has everyone forgotten that I got through the Underground by myself when I was twelve?” The sixteen year old demanded. “Besides, these guys are fighters, they’ll keep me safe if it comes down to it!”

“Sorry bud,” Sans said, eyeing the boy. “We’re looking to get in, get Undyne and Alphys, and get out as quick as we can. Your parents are right, you should stay here.”

“But I wouldn't slow you down!” Frisk protested. “C’mon guys, you can’t leave me behind on this!”

Chara gave a heavy sigh. 

“I hate to admit it but… Frisk is right.”

The others looked at her in surprise.

“Wait, seriously?” Frisk asked, incredulously. Chara tossed him a glare.

“Despite the childish temper-tantrum you almost threw there… It might be helpful to have a Human with us.” She looked to Sans. “You said it yourself, we don’t know anything about where this thing leads. They might not be so friendly with Monsters there, and if Frisk comes along, he can help us avoid any unnecessary fighting.”

“Yes!” Frisk pumped his fist excitedly. “See? Even Chara thinks I should go!”

Toriel and Asgore looked at each other hesitantly. 

“Mom, Dad, don’t worry.” Chara said softly. “I’ll bring him back in one piece.” She shot another look at her brother. “Though I make no promises other than that.”

Toriel sighed and relented, her hand falling away from the back of her son’s neck, leaving him free to run over to where Sans stood before she could change her mind. 

“Yo! Awesome!” Kid enthused. “So, when are we going?” 

Chara turned to look at her boyfriend.

“We?” She asked, shaking her head. “Uh-uh. Not “we”. You’re staying here.”

“Whaat?” Kid replied, crestfallen. “Why?”

Chara held his gaze, and jabbed a finger into the boy’s chest. 

“You nearly died on me just a few months ago.” She said, barely able to keep her voice from shaking. “I’m not risking you to this.”

“But I can fight!” he protested, his eyes darting to the other Monsters around for support, returning to Chara when he didn’t find anything. “And I’m good at running and stuff, and-” 

Chara took a step closer and kissed him, silencing his protests. When she pulled back, she tapped a finger against his muzzle. 

“Kid, I promise. We won’t be gone for long. But I need you to be safe. I can’t go through that again, do you understand me?”

The reptile cast his gaze to the floor, his shoulders slumping.

"Yeah…” He mumbled. 

“If you two lovebirds are finished,” Sans said, drawing everyone’s attention. “We really shouldn’t be wasting anymore time. We don’t know what’s happening over there, but the sooner we get them back on the correct side, the better.”

Asgore sighed, rubbing the space between his horns.

“I’m still not fully clear on what’s going on, but Toriel and I can take care of Alexander while you go on through. Just… be careful, alright?”

“Do not worry, your majesty!” Papyrus exclaimed. “No harm shall befall any of my dear friends so long as they travel alongside the great Papyrus! Nyeh-heh-heh!”

“Let's go then,” Sans said, moving to stand next to the tear. It was hard to judge it’s exact size, with the amount of fluctuating it was doing, but it looked like it was about three times taller than the small skeleton. 

The others gathered around him, Kid hanging back, still looking after Chara sadly. The robotic girl looked back at him. She paused, then reached behind her neck and undid the clasps of the golden, heart-shaped locket she always wore. 

“Here,” she said, stepping close to him and fastening it about the boy’s neck. “Keep this safe for me until I get back, okay?”

Kid’s eyes widened, and he nodded mutely, staring down at the golden necklace. Chara gave him a small smile, and a little peck on his cheek before turning back to the others. 

Papyrus was the first one through, quickly followed by Frisk. Chara went next, with Sans bringing up the rear. Kid let out a quiet groan as Sans disappeared, still staring at the portal. He didn’t look up when Asgore rested a hand on his shoulder.

“Come, my boy. They will be back soon enough, I am sure of it.”

Kid grudgingly turned away from the portal, then looked down at the locket now fastened around his neck. He narrowed his eyes, and made a decision.

“Wait for me!” he called out, sprinting towards the rift. Before either of the surprised Boss Monsters could stop him, he stubbed his toe on the edge of the table, crying out in pain and alarm as he tumbled through the portal, leaving Toriel and Asgore to stare in shock just where he had disappeared. 

“Um… Should we…” Asgore began. Toriel shook her head.

“Best if we stay here,” she said quietly. “Besides, if our daughter has her way, we’ll see him stumbling back through here any moment now.”


	6. Definitely not Kansas

Chara slowly raised herself back to her feet, taking shaky breaths as her vision refocused. That had been… an uncomfortable experience. 

She felt… drained. She always felt drained early in the mornings, but this was different. She let her right eye glow softly, feeling her magic build up and disperse within her, powering her systems. 

She felt better for having done so, and looked around to find her companions. Sans was standing a few feet away, staring out at the city silently, while Papyrus was helping her brother to his feet.

“Are you alright, Frisk?” The tall skeleton asked, gently wiping dirt off his face with the scarf the boy wore. 

“I’ll be f-” His words were cut off as a dazed Kid tumbled out of the rift behind him, crashing into the teen’s back and knocking him face first back into the dirt. The yellow-scaled Monster shook his head to clear it, looking around with bright eyes, though he started in shock as the interface on the visor that covered his left eye fizzled out, the red glow no longer lighting up that side of his face.

“Oh! Hello, Kid!” Papyrus exclaimed, while Chara stared at her boyfriend. “I thought you weren’t coming?”

The boy gave an armless shrug, blinking at the loss of his interface and pulling himself upright, his green shirt now slightly dirty. 

“I tripped,” he explained, though the grin on his face belied his explanation. The smile faltered however, as he noticed Chara’s bright red eyes fixed on him.

“Didn’t you listen to me?” she demanded angrily, stepping towards him. “I _told _you not to come! You’re not staying here, you’re going back home if I have to-”__

__“No,” Sans interrupted quietly, his back still to them. The others looked at him._ _

__“What do you mean, no?” Chara demanded._ _

__“I don’t know how stable the portal is,” Sans explained. “For now, we’re going to have to assume that we can only use it once more.”_ _

__“Are you serious!?” Chara yelled, not paying any attention as Papyrus pulled Frisk up from the ground once more, the boy spitting out dirt as he ascended. Kid was cowering slightly, though he was relieved that his girlfriend’s anger was no longer directed at him._ _

__Sans finally turned back to them._ _

__“There’s no guarantees for now,” he said finally. “Hopefully I’ll be able to figure something out, but we need to make sure Alphys and Undyne are safe first. Until then, looks like we’ve got an extra tag-along.”_ _

__Chara huffed in irritation, crossing her arms in front of her chest and looking away. Kid approached her cautiously, leaning down slightly and bumping her shoulder gently with his muzzle._ _

__“Sorry…” he murmured. Chara didn’t look at him, stepping quickly away and approaching Sans._ _

__Kid gave a tiny, hurt gasp and stepped back, looking forlornly after her. He suddenly felt much less confident about this idea. Frisk came up behind him, wiping dirt from his striped shirt as he did so._ _

__“Don’t worry, bud,” he muttered so only his friend could hear. “Just give her some time to cool off. I know for a fact she can’t stay mad at you.”_ _

__“Well, Sans? What do we do now?” Chara asked. The skeleton turned back to look at the city._ _

__“Well, I think I can tell that this is _definitely_ not Kansas.” Sans replied, ignoring Chara rolling her eyes at the joke. “We should probably start in the city down there, the more people, the more likely we can figure out where they went, if it’s not immediately obvious. Subtlety is not Undyne’s strong point.”_ _

__“No, her strong point is her head,” Chara muttered. “Alright, I’ll take a bird’s-eye view of the place, see if they’ve left us any convenient trails of destruction to follow. If not, at least I can get a better idea of what we’re dealing with._ _

__Sans nodded, and Chara rolled her shoulders, allowing two thin, curved metal rods to extend from her back, just below her neck. They curved up and out, extending about three feet in either direction. Once they stopped extending, each one glowed brightly for a couple seconds before a sheet of energy extended from them, nearly touching the ground._ _

__She took a running start, flapping her wings to build up speed before launching herself into the air, and quickly ascending high into the sky._ _

__“Yo…” Kid breathed. “She can do that?”_ _

__“What, she never told you?” Frisk asked, confused. “I know she doesn’t use them often, but I figured you of all people would have known about it.”_ _

__Kid lowered his head, staring at the ground for a moment, before Papyrus piped up from behind._ _

__“I sense that you are feeling sadness! Not to fear my young friend, We are going to make many new friends on this venture! And if that thought alone does not fill your heart full of happiness like spaghetti, then nothing will!”_ _

__“I’m sure you’re right, Pap,” Sans called, beginning to walk towards the city. “We’d better get going on that then, shall we?”_ _

__“Right behind you, brother!”_ _

__“Come on, Kid,” Frisk said to the reptilian Monster who was keeping his gaze mostly downcast. “Chara will kill us all if you fall behind and we let anything happen to you.” He gulped, remembering how she had actually attacked him when he had tried to talk to her back when they still weren’t sure if Kid was going to survive the mugging a few months ago. “Literally.”_ _

__

__The group of four trudged towards the city. As always, Papyrus was in high spirits and, sensing that his companions were not so, he eagerly attempted to spread his bottomless cheer around._ _

__“Confound it all, that’s what I was forgetting! Puzzles! Sans,” Papyrus called to where the shorter skeleton remained ahead of the group. “Did you bring any puzzles along? They are a very important first step in building a lasting friendship!”_ _

__“Sorry bro… fresh outta puzzles at the moment.”_ _

__“Oh well,” Papyrus sighed, quickly brightening again. “I shall just have to make some of my own! Frisk, you too are a puzzles enthusiast! Do you have any good ideas?”_ _

__Before the teen could respond, there was a whooshing sound from above, and Chara landing in front of them, causing everyone but Sans to start in surprise. She glared at them all._ _

__“Hey! I’ve been trying to contact you guys for the past five minutes! Why is no one answering their phones?_ _

__Papyrus quickly pulled out his phone in dismay, then frowned as he realized it was dead._ _

__“Strange… I thought I had…”_ _

__Frisk blinked, looking over to Kid, before slapping his hand into his forehead._ _

__“Kid! Your visor went out! Why didn’t you say anything, I _thought_ something looked different!”_ _

__The teen shuffled awkwardly, looking away and now desperately wishing he’d stayed behind._ _

__Chara scowled at his lack of a reply, and looked to the other two in the group._ _

__“What about you? Are your phones still on?”_ _

__Frisk raised his hands in a placating gesture._ _

__“I didn’t bring my phone… I wasn’t expecting to go through a rift to another dimension when I got up this morning!”_ _

__“Huh. Looks like mine’s dead too.” Sans reported from up ahead. “I guess there's some electromagnetism involved in that rift.”_ _

__“Are you okay, Chara?” Papyrus asked in concern. The girl looked to him_ _

__“Why wouldn’t I be?”_ _

__Papyrus gestured to her._ _

__“Well, you have a cell phone built in, right?” the skeleton asked. “Doesn’t that mean you would power off too?”_ _

__Chara blinked a couple times before realizing what he was talking about._ _

__“Don’t worry about me, I can power myself using my magic if I have to.” Then she scowled, retracting her wings back into her body._ _

__“But if we can’t communicate, then there’s not much point in me staying up in the air, is there?”_ _

__“What did you see?” Sans asked her quietly as the group began moving again, Chara and Sans ahead of the rest._ _

__“Well, it’s definitely not our world, that’s for damn sure,” The robot replied. “For one, it looks like the Humans have magic.”_ _

__The light in Sans’s eyes flicked towards her, then away again._ _

__“Huh,” was all he said._ _

__“It doesn’t look like there’s very many Monsters in the city either. And if these Humans still have their magic… we’re going to need to be careful.”_ _

__“No sign of Alphys or Undyne?”_ _

__“None. At least that way we know that they’re okay, I don’t care if these Humans have magic, Undyne doesn’t go down without a fight.”_ _

__“Hm.”_ _

__Chara glanced sidelong at him at his vague responses, but didn’t say anything, picking up the pace instead._ _

__

__It wasn’t long before they entered the city, and they quickly found that this place, while not openly hostile, was far less accepting of Monsters than their home. Walking down the streets, they were given mixed responses. Some didn’t mind their presence...others looked away, quickening their pace. Sans and Papyrus took it all in stride, and Papyrus still gave out friendly greetings to passers-by, and asked them if they had seen their friends._ _

__No one had an answer, not that that fazed the enthusiastic skeleton. Kid, however, walked a little closer to Frisk, feeling somewhat vulnerable without his visor._ _

__It took a turn for the worst, as they entered the business districts, passing numerous shops with signs saying “No Monsters Allowed.” Frisk’s smile was strained, and Chara had to forcibly reel back her anger at the public display. Sans would just quietly lead the group around the area, despite the protests from Chara._ _

__“We’re just here to get our friends,” he would say. “No sense in making things worse for the Monsters who already live here.”_ _

__After a few hours of walking, the group was tired, sore and hungry. They had wandered into a district with a lot of different stores and restaurants, Each one proudly displaying the “No Monsters” sign on the door. Until…._ _

__“Hey, look over here!” Frisk called, his friends turning their attention to him. He was pointing at the window of another restaurant, one that had no signs on it, except for the name. “House Mouse”._ _

__“We’ve been walking around for hours… we could probably use a rest. Maybe these guys won’t kick us out?”_ _

__“Or maybe they just haven’t put up the sign yet.” Chara grumbled._ _

__“Maybe it’s worth a shot?” Kid asked hesitantly. “We didn’t have a chance for much breakfast on the way here…”_ _

__Sans shrugged._ _

__“Yeah, I could go for a chance to put my feet up for a bit.” The skeleton yawned somehow even though his mouth didn’t move at all. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll get lucky.”_ _

__With Frisk leading the way, the group entered the restaurant._ _

__The place, in layout, would make one think of a sixties diner, longer than it was wide, with booths lining the side where the windows were, with a long bar, with the kitchen literally right behind it, so that one could easily see the chef cook. There were some tables on the opposite ends of the restaurant for when the booths were all taken up, two on each side, able to hold eight at max, but meant for four._ _

__Some humans glanced up curiously; vivid eyes looking at them. Some went back to what they were doing, some gave a welcoming wave… Some others frowned, and then turned angry glares up to the bar, where a human with sandy blonde hair with patches of brown was working, wiping the bar down. He was a middle aged man, probably somewhere in his mid thirties--closer to forty._ _

__He looked up, yellow eyes innocently glancing at the few angry Humans. “What?” Then he looked to the doorway, offering a pleasant smile. “Oh?” he asked, his tone becoming dramatic. “Oh dear, Monsters came in.” He turned back to his customers. “I suppose you’re wondering where that sign is--well, you see, it’s--” He hastily looked to the calendar. “A Saturday. And what a shame--the sign I got? I can’t have it hanging on Saturdays, what were the odds?” He put an arm over his head. “I guess I have no choice...I’ll have to serve them.”_ _

__There was snickering from another Human who sat at the bar, with jet black hair. “Jeremiah…are you even trying to lie? That was ridiculous, even for you.” The way the blonde had spoken gave his words absolutely no credibility._ _

__“What? Signs have feelings too--but--eh...no, not really. If they don’t like it, they can leave.”_ _

__“You’re a riot.” Then, the man turned, looking to be in his mid-twenties. “No need to stand in the doorway, come on in. You can ignore the sour pusses.”_ _

__The man behind the bar snorted. “Michael, don’t go insulting my customers…” But he very obviously didn’t care._ _

__“Or what?”_ _

__Jeremiah smirked, and handed Michael a handful of menus. “As punishment, you have to save me a walk around the bar to give them menus.”_ _

__“Talk about inhumane treatment…”_ _

__Chara immediately went to one of the tables and sat down heavily, trying in vain not to show her weariness. The others followed, casting curious glances at the two Humans who had greeted them._ _

__Except for Papyrus. The tall skeleton was not content to simply cast glances at the two._ _

__“Greetings, Humans!” The skeleton said jovially, his attention on Michael and Jeremiah, but meaning his welcome for all as he strode towards the bar. “I am the great Papyrus! Tell me,” He continued, turning his gaze to the older man. “Does your sign really not like Saturdays that much? My brother always tells me that he can’t work on Tuesdays, perhaps they suffer from the same problem?”_ _

__Jeremiah laughed. “Possibly, but I don’t like having such a sign up. Sounds like it and your brother would get along though,” he joked._ _

__At the table, the other man starting setting menus down, and then blinked in surprise as he saw Frisk, and then smiled. “Didn’t think I’d see a Human your age with a group of Monsters. Glad to see there’s hope for teenagers yet.”_ _

__He paused as he saw Kid. “Oh--gimme a moment.” He turned. “Hey, Jeremiah--where’s that thing?”_ _

__“What thing?”_ _

__“For Frisk’s friend--we got another monster of that type.”_ _

__“Oh! Right.” With that, the yellow eyed man held up his hand briefly to signal to Papyrus that he needed a moment. He turned...and hobbled, limping heavily over to the counter, and then coming back. “Here you go.”_ _

__He tossed it, and Michael caught it with ease. It looked like something that was meant to hold a book open, but much smaller. He placed it in front of Kid, and then the opened menu on that. “Here you go.”_ _

__Kid blinked in surprise. “Yo! Thanks!”_ _

__Chara was reaching for a menu, but paused._ _

__“Do you have Monster food here?” she asked, wincing inwardly at the hint of exhaustion in her synthetic tones. She could really use a bit of a boost to her magic supply right about now._ _

__“Lower right,” Michael responded. “Grillby and Jeremiah trade recipes once in awhile.”_ _

__“Sorry that there isn’t a lot yet,” the other man replied, leaning against the bar. “There’s a steep learning curve for learning monster food.”_ _

__“I’ll take your word for it,” Michael murmured._ _

__“That’s because you can’t even boil water correctly,” Jeremiah snickered._ _

__“If you require it, I, the great Papyrus, would be more than willing to teach you!” The tall skeleton said, joining his friends at the table. “I am an expert at boiling water!”_ _

__“He’s right you know,” Sans said nonchalantly, drawing a ketchup bottle from beneath his hoodie and taking a swig. “He hasn’t even burned the house down for two years._ _

__“Sans! We agreed never to speak of that!”_ _

__Jeremiah chuckled. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, before pointing at the younger man. “This guy ended up burning down a whole bunch of warehouses.”_ _

__“Excuse me for being chased by a serial murderer!”_ _

__Other Humans were laughing, apparently used to the ribbing and bickering. Frisk joined in the laughter, finding these two reminded him of Sans and Papyrus somewhat._ _

__“Well, yes, but you know, you could have just roasted that guy, and not the whole place.”_ _

__“It was next to the ocean! I thought it would be okay--excuse me for not thinking straight with the guy throwing knives at me.”_ _

__Jeremiah snickered, and then tapped the counter where a large envelope was. “Anyways, this is yours, right?”_ _

__He nodded, coming back over, sitting on the stool. “Yep, gotta keep that safe.”_ _

__“Where’s it even going?”_ _

__“Where do you think?”_ _

__Jeremiah blinked, and then shook his head. “You’ve got a long climb ahead of you.”_ _

__While the others were perusing the menus, Sans leaned forward._ _

__“Hey, we’re looking for a couple of our friends, we got separated a while back. Have either of you seen a short, nervous yellow reptile or a tall, blue fish lady?”_ _

__“Tall and angry fish lady, don’t forget that part,” Frisk supplied helpfully._ _

__Jeremiah looked to his friend. “You’re the expert here.”_ _

__Michael glanced up with orange eyes, humming in thought. “I don’t think I have, I’m afraid.”_ _

__Jeremiah dead-panned. “And you’re the one that’s always with the Captain of the Royal Guard.”_ _

__“Hey, just because I’m friends with him doesn’t mean I know everything there is to monsters. I don’t even know this group, so there’s that.”_ _

__The group froze. All except for Papyrus, who was busy staring at the menu, letting out the occasional “nyeh” as he did so._ _

__“Friends with… him?” Chara asked quietly, fully alert once again._ _

__“Huh?” the orange-eyed human asked, tilting his head. “You don’t know?”_ _

__“Did these Monsters come from another mountain?” Jeremiah guessed._ _

__“There’s only one mountain that sealed them away--maybe they left right as the barrier broke, I heard that’s when Captains changed.” Then, he looked back to the group again. “The current Captain is Dogamy--a dog monster.”_ _

__“Do you know why the Captains changed?” Sans asked, his voice carrying, though his tone was soft._ _

__The two Humans found the gazes of everyone at the table trained on them… except for the still oblivious Papyrus, who was flipping the menu over and looking at it from different angles, a frown creasing his skull as he muttered to himself._ _

__“Touchy subject,” was the careful reply. Michael shrugged. “There was some incident shortly before we found out about them, but I’m not the type to pry for details on that kind of thing.”_ _

__Jeremiah gave a quiet hum of thought as he cleaned a glass. “Grillby mentioned that the incident caused them to lose a handful of monsters.”_ _

__“Why are you so blunt?”_ _

__“They asked a question, I gave the answer. No need to dance around it if they’re going to find out anyways,” the older one said he shifted his position slightly._ _

__“Yo…” Kid said quietly. “What are they… does that mean…?”_ _

__Chara narrowed her eyes. Given the amount of hostility they had found on their way here, she was getting the feeling that the Humans were behind this… “Incident”. She began looking around the room surreptitiously, her eyes peeled for trouble._ _

__Sans was keeping his cool, taking another drink from his bottle before asking,_ _

__“Haven’t seen a lot of Monsters around here, are most of them still up the Mountain then?”_ _

__Michael raised a brow at that, and then nodded. “Yes, there’s a handful living down here, integration has a been a bit hard.”_ _

__“Honestly,” Jeremiah grumbled. “And right now, most of them have gone back into the mountain for the time being after what happened last month. Even Grillby and Muffet went back up there...can’t blame them.”_ _

__“Oi, that was horrible--even our Leader’s in the hospital for that thing.”_ _

__“At least we haven’t lost anyone else,” the older one said, reaching over for an empty glass._ _

__“Well, not to worry!” Papyrus said, finally looking up from his menu and startling the others who thought that he hadn’t been paying attention. “The king and queen will keep everything under control! But we have a far more urgent problem to deal with in this very moment!” He tapped the menu. “Er, Jeremiah was it? You seem to have forgotten to put spaghetti on this menu!”_ _

__Michael tilted his head back to get a better look at his friend. “Hey, the Ambassador isn’t the only one who wants spaghetti.”_ _

__“Huh. In all the years it’s been opened, and only two people have asked for it.” Jeremiah shrugged. “Looks like I’ll have to remedy it eventually at this rate,” he murmured with a chuckle._ _

__“Well, you could just make it a special,” Michael replied with a shrug, messing with the odd metal piece that kept the envelope shut._ _

__“So wait, who’s the-” Frisk began._ _

__**Don’t ask questions like that,** Chara warned him, glaring as she sent her internal message. **The last thing we need is to get attached to this world. We’re here to get our friends, then get out.** _ _

__“Uhh... so I guess we’ll have to go up the mountain to try and find our friends!” Frisk said, backtracking quickly. “But I don’t know about you guys… I could use some food first. Think you can manage to have a non-pasta related meal, Papyrus?”_ _

__The taller skeleton sighed dramatically._ _

__“Well, I suppose I can manage. Honestly,” He added, grumbling to himself under his breath. “No pasta? What’s the world coming to?”_ _

__“Apologies,” Jeremiah said. “There are other restaurants that serve that, but…anyways, take your pick, and I’ll get your meals.”_ _

__“I guess you need to branch out,” Michael said. “You’re the only guy in the city that serves Monsters right now.” Then he glanced back to the group. “Anyways, you said you’re going up the mountain? Ebott right?” He waved his envelope. “I’m heading that way today, so what if we go up together? Might speed things along for you.”_ _

__“Yeah, sure thing,” Sans mumbled, before Chara could protest. He leaned back in his chair, and closed his sockets. “Be helpful to have someone who knows the place…”_ _

__“Well then, if spaghetti is not an option, then I will have-”_ _


	7. Only One Way

The group ate quietly, for the most part, trying to figure out what exactly this world was like. So far, it didn’t seem all that great. Kid kept cautiously looking over to Chara, but the robot was ignoring him as she concentrated on recharging herself. She’d ordered a lot more than the others, if only to keep herself from being so drained. 

“Wowie! This is excellent!” Papyrus exclaimed, looking up from his food. “I’m impressed! It almost doesn’t taste like not-spaghetti!”

“You’re a regular _pastaholic_ , you know that bro?” 

“Sans!” Papyrus exclaimed, glaring at his brother while Frisk and Kid both stifled chuckles.

The two looked back over from where they had been talking, and Jeremiah shook his head with a smile. “Another pun-maker?”

“What? The Ambassador only mumbles one once in awhile--and then instantly regrets it.”

Jeremiah chuckled. “I suppose so,” he said, and seeing that they were almost finished, he limped his way out from around the bar, coming fully into sight. On his right leg, there was a large brace on from lower thigh, to upper shin. He came over, grabbing a few empty plates. “Anything else?” he asked politely. 

Sans looked around at his group. 

“Nah, I think we’re good,” he said.

Kid licked his lips trying to keep them clean, his eyes following the limping Human’s damaged leg.

“Yo, you alright?” he asked. He couldn’t imagine what it must be like to have a leg damaged like that…. He shuddered briefly.

Jeremiah smiled. “I’m fine. I got this back when that guy was a Rookie. I’m used to it.”

“That’s not a valid statement if you’re always going to call me a rookie,” Michael retorted.

The older man smiled, and turned. “Whatever do you mean... _Rookie_?”

“Well, new friends!” Papyrus said as the group rose from the table. “I am very glad to have found this place, not only did my lazybones brother get a rest, but it seems a lot happier in here than outside! Many people we talked to seemed upset about something. When we have time, I, the great Papyrus, will spread cheer, happiness and pasta throughout the city!”

He reached down into the pocket of his shorts, and pulled out three gold coins and handed them to Jeremiah.

“Never let it be said that Papyrus does not pay his tab! Unlike a certain lazybones…”

Jeremiah stared at the coin in his hands. “...Monster gold?”

Michael laughed. “Don’t break again--you’re going to be able to re-model at this rate!”

“...Monster gold…?”

“Yeah...you’re broken.” Michael came over with a shrug. “Sorry, he’s not used to getting so much.” He shook Jeremiah a few times. “Earth to the chef, come back please.”

“I’m here...sort of…”

“Oh, Paps…” Sans said, shaking his skull, his voice laced with a combination of mild irritation and endearment “I keep telling you not to carry that stuff around with you.”

Papyrus looked indignantly back at his brother.

“It is my money, and I can spend it how I like!” 

Sans just sighed again.

“Hey,” Michael said, focusing on Jeremiah, “We need you functioning. Your Monster customers are gonna need you if they happen to come in today.” Though his orange eyes dimmed at that.

“Can’t rush them,” Jeremiah said, shaking his head as he cleared his thoughts. “Anyways, be careful on your way up.”

“What, not coming?” Michael joked.

“Yeah...no, not with this leg,” he said as he took the other empty plates and hobbled back behind the bar. “Besides, even if I could--”

“The place has high ceilings, it’s not that bad for a cavern!”

“No, means no, means no. I’m not repeating that!” Jeremiah protested.

“Hey, I was there too, and I’m fine.”

“That’s because you’re weird.”

“Wha--” Michael glared. “Hey! Says you!” Though Jeremiah only snickered as he put things in the sink.

“Are we going yet?” Chara asked, folding her arms in irritation. “We’ve already wasted more than enough time, they’re not going to find themselves, you know.”

“Patience, Chara,” Frisk said soothingly. “They’ll be fine.” His sister just glared at him, causing the boy to wilt slightly. 

“Alright then,” Sans said, looking over to Michael and stepping away from the table. “If you’re ready, let's go and give Asgore and Toriel heart attacks, shall we?”

Michael blinked in confusion. “Asgore and Toriel…?”

Jeremiah frowned, looking over his shoulder. “Hm?”

“Sorry, I recognize the names, but that’s all. I suppose Dogamy knows where they are.” 

“If not, I’m certain Grillby and Muffet would have a clue,” Jeremiah replied. “Or the Ambassador.” 

Sans and Chara were frowning, but it was Papyrus who piped up once again. 

“Well of _course_ you recognise the names, they’re the king and queen of Monsters! Although they keep telling me not to call them that anymore for some reason.”

Jeremiah frowned. “Come on, Michael, you should know those.”

“I seriously don’t.”

“Then who’s the King and Queen…?”

Michael raised his hand, and frowned. “Uh...good question...aren’t Grillby and Muffet…”

“They’re figureheads, but I’ve never heard them get called King and Queen…”

"Huh...odd, why don’t I know that?”

“This is you we’re talking about,” Jeremiah replied, golden eyes narrowed in light annoyance. “Honestly…”

Sans and Chara looked at each other, while the others just seemed confused. 

“Sans…”

“Easy there, kid,” Sans muttered quietly, taking a step towards the girl and lowering his tone so that the others couldn’t hear. “It’s not necessarily what you think, especially if they’re saying Grilbz and Muffet of all people are in charge, there could be any number of things your parents are up to. Don’t go rampaging on me just yet, alright?”

Chara nodded stiffly, and Sans turned, interrupting his brother as he was about to speak.

“The incident you mentioned, do you know what happened then?”

Michael gave a hum. “Just vague details. Dogamy said that after they broke the barrier and were trying to start settling on the mountain side, there was something that just came into the kingdom--wiped out about half a dozen or so monsters--but they were able to deal with it.”

Jeremiah nodded as he came back, drying his hands. “Grillby said they cleared it up just before some Humans stumbled upon them, but...they were still recovering. Turns out they lost some important figures…”

“What do you think even caused that?” Michael murmured.

“Grillby said it was a Human--not that the name suited them at the point.”

“Well, at least they got dealt with.”

Jeremiah nodded. “Now if things would just stay quiet for the Monsters. The moment one thing gets resolved, something else jumps up in their face…”

Chara’s hands were curled into fists and her head was lowered so that her bangs hid both her eyes. Her brother didn’t seem to be faring much better, he was trembling slightly, his gaze downcast. Neither of them wanted to think that…

“Listen, Papyrus.” Sans said to his brother, jerking his attention to him. “Can you look out for these guys for me? You’re good at keeping people safe.”

“Like you even have to ask, brother!” Then he frowned. “Aren’t you coming with us?” 

“I’m gonna go on ahead. I might be able to get some answers, make sure we’re not on a wild goose chase.”

“Sans, we’re not looking for gooses, we’re looking for Undyne and Alphys!” The taller skeleton explained patiently. 

“It’s a figure of speech, Papyrus,” Chara stated quietly, her tone unreadable. “Sans… are you sure we should be splitting up like this?”

Sans shrugged.

“Not sure of anything at this point. But, do me a favor would ya? Be ready, but don’t do anything we’re all going to regret.”

With that, he took a step backwards, and vanished.

The two Humans jerked in surprise, and Michael looked back. “Was that...red magic?”

Jeremiah shook his head. “I’m not sure. I haven’t seen any monsters with that magic type…guess you can ask about it when you get up there.”

“Right…” Michael frowned, knowing that something wasn’t quite right in all of this, but not knowing what to do about it. “Well, if everyone else is ready…?”

Papyrus huffed, looking sternly at the spot where his brother had disappeared, both his hands resting on his hips.

“Honestly Sans! It’s rude to teleport away right in front of new friends!” He turned to face the two Humans. “But regardless, we have a journey to begin! I haven’t been back up to the mountain in years! Do you suppose all the puzzles I set up for you are still working, Frisk?”

The boy managed a smile, looking up at the cheerful skeleton.

“Probably. They might even still be as good as when you set them up.”

“Of course!” Papyrus enthused. “Not only can the great Papyrus construct amazing puzzles, but they also will last for a thousand years, so future generations may marvel at my genius!”

“Frisk?” Michael asked.

“Same name as the Ambassador, hm?” Jeremiah murmured in amusement. “Well, sounds like you’ll have an interesting day.” 

Frisk started at that, then shared a look with Chara.

**Looks like you ended up with the job in this world,** Chara told him, her irritation temporarily forgotten in the face of amusement.

_That or you’re still in my head._

Chara frowned.

**Only one way to find out.**

“Come on guys, we’re wasting time,” she said aloud, heading for the door. “Let’s get this over with.”

 

Mettaton quietly set out plates, his mind wandering. After Undyne had woken up, he had treated them to breakfast, and when Gerson finally alerted him that he was awake, he took them back up to the Royals home, and was now making lunch. Gerson sat tiredly at the table where Mettaton had brought in extra chairs. 

His cousin was draped over his shoulder, slumbering. Napstablook had insisted on coming, but Mettaton only allowed them if they didn’t move around. Muffet, Grillby, and Dogamy, however, were still on their way--or possibly still sleeping with all things considered.

He came back into the room, setting cups down, and then with a sigh, he knelt, looking at Frisk who was huddling under the table, hugging Gerson’s leg. 

Undyne rubbed her forehead, eye closed as she sat down. 

“I can’t believe you installed a shutdown command on my recycler,” she grumbled. “I feel like my head’s about to explode.”

Alphys narrowed her gaze at the taller woman, only her head visible above the table. 

“A-and I can’t believe you tried to shift not even half an hour after it malfunctioned! You could have died!”

Undyne bit her lip hard enough that she would have drawn blood if she had any, and looked away.

Mettaton handed a plate to Frisk, who was hiding now more because of the arguing than anything else, and that was partially why Gerson hadn’t dragged them back out. 

“I think eating would help,” Mettaton murmured quietly, even though they already had breakfast. He just hoped they’d be on smoother terms by the time others arrive.

Undyne gave no response other than a simple grunt, and Alphys threw her another look before speaking up again.

“A-anyways… we made good progress last night. I think I might have the proper equipment to upgrade the recycler so that it doesn't get shut down again. Um, I’ll h-have to go and try and take some readings on the tear later today to see if we can figure out what exactly caused the malfunction in the first place… i-if it’s still there.” The last part was spoken in a mumble.

“We can go looking for it after we talk,” Gerson assured, stifling a yawn. “I’m glad you got that fixed at least,” he said, reaching a hand down to pet Frisk’s head.

“I wouldn’t say it was fixed…” Alphys began. “I j-just have a chance of-”

There was a soft knock at the door. 

“I’ll get it,” Mettaton assured, racing over, and opening it. “Ah, Muffet, Grillby, you came…”

“We did…” came a quiet, tired voice.

They came into the kitchen, with Muffet droopy eyed, and on her back, was the small fire elemental, his face buried in her shoulder.

As the two new Monsters came into view, nerves overtook Alphys and she lowered her head. 

“Oh.. h-hello,” she managed weakly.

Muffet blinked tiredly. “They really weren’t pulling my leg…it is them…” 

Grillby raised his head, his eyes dim. “...never a dull moment, hm?”

“Good afternoon,” Muffet managed, letting Grillby slip down into a chair, before sitting beside him. Grillby echoed the greeting, his head low as he tried to gain a few more minutes of rest.

Undyne looked to them, her eye narrowing for a moment on Grillby before widening in shock and anger.

“Grillby…” She didn’t know the fire elemental very well, but the weakness of his magic was only enhanced by the bare amount of physical form he was able to pull together. She could tell they were both exhausted. She clenched her fists under the table.

“A-are you two alright?” Alphys asked nervously. “Y-you both look like you could use another week’s worth of sleep.”

Grillby raised his head tiredly, tilting his head, while Muffet nodded. “So long as we don’t get into any fights, we should be fine…” She daintily stifled a yawn. “And Grillby’s starting to get his magic back--so he should be able to gather more of a form soon…” The fire elemental nodded in agreement to her words. 

Alphys gave a relieved sigh. 

“That’s good… I heard about what happened… I’m so sorry…”

“When we get back home, I’m gonna see if I can find Vigil,” Undyne muttered, mostly to herself. She wasn’t really paying attention to the others conversation. “If Overwatch tries to pull a stunt like this, I intend to be ready for it.”

“Not your fault,” the fire elemental murmured, his flames dim, barely creating any light, before Mettaton turned to a knocking at the door, and went off, coming back with Dogamy.

Muffet raised her head. “Dogamy--has there been any..?”

“No, I’m afraid not,” the canine said, looking to her. “Trust me, if I hear anything about them, you and your husband will be the first to know.”

Grillby reached over, taking one of her hands. “We have to be patient,” he told her quietly, as her hand clenched his. 

“Husband?” Undyne blinked, her attention snagged from the angry world she was currently preoccupying. “Since when do you…” She looked at the currently small fire elemental holding her hand.

“No way…you two got together?”

Muffet didn’t reply, while Grillby’s flames darkened as he gave a quiet nod. Gerson tiredly chuckled. “Yeah, they got married, what was it--’bout half a year back after nearly three and a half years. ‘Bout time. Had to hit them over the head with my hammer.”

Undyne chuckled, anger momentarily forgotten, much to Alphys’s relief.

“That does sound like you. I remember an old turtle threatening to drown me If I didn’t; ‘Buck up and tell the girl how I felt.’ Before he had to; ‘Put up with any more of my moping.’”

“I wonder if you two got together on my side too…” Alphys murmured. “I don’t see either of you often, especially since you.. S-sorry, our Muffet lives outside the city…”

“Huh, I do?” she murmured, then shrugged. “Grillby and I have a place down in the city for his tavern and my bakery...but due to the obvious, haven’t been tending to it.”

“It can be worried about when everything else is taken care of,” Grillby assured as everyone found a place to sit. “Though my niece is looking after it…”

Muffet nodded. “Our business is the least of our worries,” she assured.

Undyne’s eye narrowed. 

“Right. We were actually going to get some answers here.” She leaned forward. “About freaking time.”

“Undyne, this has been as hard for them as it has for us,” Alphys murmured. “Don’t rush it, okay?”

“Question is, where do you want to start?” Gerson asked. “Though, I have a feeling I know when ours starts to differentiate from your world. Do you want the beginning, or the most recent thing?”

“Whichever one explains why everyone keeps looking at us like we’ve grown an extra head,” Undyne said firmly. She had a sudden flashback of the last day, and narrowed her gaze at Dogamy. “And explains what happened to 01 and 02.”

Dogamy looked away, and the others looked around, before glancing to Muffet, with Gerson raising his head. “I know those memories are faded at this point, but you have the most knowledge of how it started…”

“Right,” Muffet murmured, resting her head on her hands. “Just...give me a few moments so that I actually tell them in order.” She bit her lip, thinking, trying to organized the tangled memories of those she had been with when she had been fused with Frisk. It was difficult, trying to find out the order of events from fading images, piecing them all together into a coherent explanation.

There was an odd knocking at the door, the tapping different than before, and instantly, most recognized it. “Don’t tell me…” Gerson started.

Dogamy raised an ear. “It is…”

Mettaton glared down below the table. “Frisk…”

Gerson looked down at the child peering at him, silently pleading. He sighed. “Fine, but you can’t leave the house, got it?” Frisk nodded, and then scampered out, the cloak covering them for the most part.

“W-who was that?” Alphys asked, watching the child speed across the floor like their life depended on it.

“Only one person knocks like that,” Dogamy murmured.

With that, they heard the door open, and a faint: “Yo, Frisk!” come from outside. Leaning, Undyne and Alphys could make out the cloaked child darting across the hall with a small kid to sit on the stairs out of sight. 

“I see your Frisk has a little friend to play with,” Undyne said, returning her attention to the group. Alphys kept staring after them for a few moments though.

“That almost sounded like…” She shook her head. “N-never mind. I guess they d-didn’t want to hang around.” Which was completely understandable of course, but it didn’t stop her from feeling a pang of hurt. 

Undyne let out a quiet groan and leaned back, massaging her temples as her headache returned. She really hoped that this wasn’t going to lead to another off-topic conversation to delay any actual explanations…


	8. So That's How it Is

On the stairwell, Rex sat to the left of Frisk on the second stair from the top. “Yo...I...I saw them--just a little--it was...really them.”

Frisk nodded, hugging their knees. Rex looked over, and entwined their tail with Frisk’s. “Yo...it’ll be alright...so...since we can’t go out...what do you want to talk about?”

“Anything else…”

Rex shook their head. “Okay...yo...I think I got some ideas on how to use my magic...wanna hear them?”

“Sure…”

They smiled. “Cool, okay, um...let’s see...well, you know how I can do that-”

Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind.

**“H e y. D o n t y o u k n o w h o w t o g r e e t a n e w p a l?”**

**“T u r n a r o u n d a n d s h a k e m y h a n d.”**

Frisk froze, stiffening, their gaze going to Rex. “I--Is it…?” they whispered.

The kid slowly turned, looking up, squirming a little. “Yeah…” they managed, voice wavering as Frisk placed their hands over their left eye, slowly turning.

Sans stared down at the child, his sockets dark and his hands in his pockets. He stayed like that for what felt like an eternity before he finally said;

“Huh. So that’s how it is. Can’t say I was expecting this.” 

Frisk stumbled back, only to yelp when gravity reminded they were on the stairs. Rex’s eyes widened, and then, Frisk felt something grab their hand, and they jerked to a halt, with Rex straining to keep them from falling--though nothing was holding them. 

A moment later, Frisk was firmly on the stairs, shivering, while Rex looked up. “Um...yo...if you...if you’re looking for Alphys and Undyne…” They motioned toward the kitchen. “They’re in there…” they said as Frisk seemed to make themselves smaller, yanking the cloak further around them.

Sans turned his head in the direction they had pointed for a moment, before looking back to the children. Small white lights appeared in his sockets again, but he made no move to leave. 

“That’s… what? Seven extra souls you’ve got floating around in there? That’s a lot of power for a kid like you to be carrying around. How did that happen, I wonder?”

Rex stood, coming between the two, their head lowered slightly as they naturally slid into a defensive stance. They weren’t sure what was going on. but they felt tension that wasn’t just from Frisk’s fears. “There was an accident,” they stated, looking up at the skeleton. “We’re just trying to fix it.” 

Despite being in fights before, Rex felt odd as they looked at the skeleton… as if they faced something that could send them to dust without a moment’s notice, but still...this was Frisk behind them, so they stood their ground. 

Sans sighed. 

“Look, if you’re anything like the one in my world, you’re a good kid,” he said, addressing the Monster. “But I need to make sure that you’re not being manipulated here.” He turned his gaze back to the fusion of Monster and Human.

“So? Who are you? Frisk… Or Chara?”

The child opened their mouth to speak...but no words came. Rex looked from them, back to Sans. “They’re obviously Frisk,” they stated. “I’ve seen Chara--they’re a soul Grillby and Muffet take care of.” They didn’t understand, but they felt like this was an interrogation, and after having to deal with several earlier that month, Rex was tired of those.

“Not asking you, Kid,” Sans said quietly, his gaze never leaving Frisk’s face. “I’d like nothing better than to believe that you’re Frisk, and you somehow managed to absorb seven Monster souls for the purest of reasons, believe me. But that look on your face… that’s the expression of someone who’s seen me angry before.” He took a small step forward.

“And who was I angry at, I wonder.”

Frisk drew the cloak further over their head, memories flashing before their eyes to the small cave--Papyrus’s dust before them, and Sans fighting with a fury and rage they had never seen before as he had attacked the other human. Frisk was never truly on the receiving end of that rage, but they knew his true power when he was finally pushed too far… But remembering hurt, and tears started to escape. 

“...stop it,” Rex managed quietly, sounding stressed, and feeling that Frisk may have had a point last night. 

_Sans…_

The skeleton jerked in reflex, feeling a tingling sensation in the back of his skull. An image of Gaster flashed through his mind, gone as quickly as it had come. 

“Wha-”

_The child… not the enemy._ The voice wavered, fading in and out of the skeleton’s mind, as if it was having trouble connecting. Before he could say anything, the tingling sensation stopped abruptly, as if cut off. 

He hesitated for a brief moment before running his hand over his skull. Then he crouched down so he was at eye level with the children.

“Alright guys, I believe you,” he muttered quietly. “You know why I had to check though, right? Frisk, if you were being used… well, I have my own world to protect. And from the sounds of it, this one has suffered enough already.”

The child nodded, but didn’t look up at him. “Frisk?” Rex asked, backing down a step as they pressed closed to the former Human, looking warily up at the skeleton. They didn’t know Sans that well, but...this one seemed rather terrifying compared to their own, and Rex didn’t like it. 

Sans sighed and stood, returning his hands to his pockets. 

“Good. I’d better get going before Undyne breaks something then.” With no further ceremony, he vanished before their eyes.

Frisk slowly slid against the wall, trembling, while Rex nuzzled them. “Shh, it’s okay, it’s okay...I think--never mind, it’s completely okay.”

 

Muffet breathed out. “All right, I think I’ve got the correct order of events.” She looked up tiredly. “About a month after the barrier broke, Frisk was--” 

“Sup?” Sans asked from the seat next to her, leaning casually back in his chair and watching the group, his ever-present grin seeming to widen.

Muffet jumped with a yelp of alarm, while the small fire-elemental whipped his head around, flames strengthening for a brief moment as he stared. “S...Sans…” he managed, hardly able to comprehend it, when the last time he saw him...it had been in the Abyss, with all the Beast Monsters coming down on top of them. Here he was, ‘in the flesh’ as it were. 

Undyne started, then relaxed, giving a grin, partially at the skeleton’s appearance, but mostly at the adorable squeak her wife made. She shot out an arm, grabbing the yellow reptile before she could fall from her seat.

“Sans! I was wondering when you’d show up!”

The skeleton shrugged. 

“Sorry about the wait… had to work myself down to the _bone_ to get out here.”

‘Definitely Sans,’ the other group muttered in their heads when they heard the pun. At this point, even Gerson was well aware of that skeleton’s habit of puns, as it usually rubbed off on Frisk these days.

“Seems we have another guest,” Gerson said, taking it the most calmly, hands folded on the table. 

Undyne blinked. 

“Wait…” She focussed her gaze on him for a moment. “Hey, yeah! I can sense you again! I didn’t even notice with this damn headache…” She rubbed at her forehead. “I thought you were the one from this side.”

“Yeah, not finding that super likely, pal,” Sans replied.

“Wha-” She stared at him, then slammed her head forcefully down on the table a couple of times, causing it to shudder. 

“Are you serious right now? You already figured something out, didn’t you! You just had to interrupt just as they were finally gonna spill the beans!”

“Oh. Good timing then.” Sans grinned. “Cause you’re probably gonna want to wait for the rest to get up here too. I’m guessing that whatever the story is, even Gerson’s not gonna want to tell it twice.”

“You’d be right,” Gerson replied. “Most of the story isn’t worth repeating, so if you’ve got more interdimensional visitors on the way I’d rather wait. Plus, gives Muffet time to keep sorting out order of events.” The turtle leaned back tiredly, folding his arms with a soft sigh, while Mettaton glanced over from his seat, as did Dogamy, while Napstablook briefly raised their head, and then slumped back down on their cousin’s shoulder.

“H-how did you know to come and find us?” Alphys asked. Then her eyes widened suddenly and she leaned forwards. “Is Alexander okay?”

Sans waved a hand vaguely. “Got a little help. Plus, Undyne, Toriel and I are linked, remember? I stopped being able to sense her presence when she disappeared through. Figured that there was something fishy going on. As for your kid… I got Papyrus to take care of him overnight, and Asgore and Toriel are watching him now.” He chuckled. “Though you might regret it, those two will happily pamper him beyond belief.”

Alphys just sighed in relief and leaned back in her chair.

“At least he’s alright…”

Grillby looked over to Sans tiredly. “Do you want anything…?” he asked.

Dogamy began to rise. “I’m certain we have a bottle of ketchup here.”

Sans waved them off. 

“Nah, I’ve still got a stockpile on me. Besides, we just ate on the way here.” He looked over at Grillby. “Sure is a friendly city down there. Happy people, tolerant signs… Heh. I was surprised that nobody burst into song on the way!”

“Apologies, it’s been rough with the humans…” the fire-elemental murmured.

“There are a few good ones,” Muffet assured, taking a tea cup from Mettaton, and stirring the drink with a spoon. “The leader...Jeremiah and Michael...some others that Frisk befriended, but…”

Dogamy shook his head. “A handful of friends isn’t a city...”

“The whole city doesn’t hate us,” Mettaton reminded. “There are all those customers that still come to the House Mouse because they’re curious of us.”

“We’re working on it,” Grillby confirmed. “And while what happened was bad--it may be what helps us in the end. Afterall, that wasn’t a threat to monsters alone, and currently, we’re working together.”

“One can hope,” Gerson murmured.

“Publicity wise, it could go either way,” Mettaton murmured. “They like to twist our words and actions around--those media people. Honestly…”

Napstablook raised their head tiredly. “But you got the last laugh that one time…” they murmured with soft amusement.

“I would have thought the media thing would be right up your alley,” Sans mentioned.

“It would be if I had the time for it,” Mettaton replied. “Best I can do is clean up the messes the human media leaves behind.”

The short skeleton raised a socket, before looking away from the robot. “Heh. Humans and Monsters working together to bring down a common enemy. Where have I heard that one before?”

“When did… Oh.” Alphys realized. “You’re talking about that attack three years ago.”

“Yeah. Been awhile, hasn’t it? But it looks like life isn’t done throwing surprises at us yet…”

Dogamy tilted his head. “You allied with your humans... three years ago, was it?”

“Heh, must be different in our timeline too. There wasn’t much allying for that fiasco.” Gerson muttered.

Muffet shook her head. “We did all the fighting in that one aside from a few human friends.”

“Huh. Guess there’s still quite a few similarities between us then,” Sans noted. “I mean, we still did the majority of the fighting on our own, but that fight didn’t last too long. If only because our enemy didn’t really consider us a threat. Not that he was wrong, strictly speaking.”

Undyne pounded her fist against the table. 

“Hah! I’d love to see him try to come back now!” she crowed. “I’m way stronger than I was back then! We’d wipe the walls with him this time!”

“I’m sure you’re right, Undyne. But let’s not tempt fate, huh?” Sans turned his attention back to them. “I’m assuming that you weren’t dealing with an interdimensional being hell-bent on absorbing the soul of one of your friends in yours?”

Muffet blinked, and looked over to Grillby. “What would they have been categorized as?”

“One was interdimensional,” Grillby murmured tiredly. “But it was creatures in our own world that caused us to briefly unite until the threat was cleared.”

“And then we got shoved in the mud again,” the robot muttered. 

“Heh. Well, maybe we’ll let you borrow our ambassadors when this is all over,” Sans said, only half-joking. “Between Toriel and Chara, we do a pretty good job of keeping the public opinion in our favor. Of course,” he continued, looking over at Mettaton. “Your god-awful show has half the world addicted already, so that’s probably helping somehow.” 

“I have a show?” Mettaton asked in surprise, before eyes narrowed. “What do you mean it’s god-awful--I want a word with this other Mettaton--” 

“Stop!” Muffet exclaimed, interrupting him, looking over to Sans. “Your Chara--are they safe?” she asked, hands trembling while Grillby looked up at her in concern.

Sans blinked a couple of times, staring at Muffet. 

“Yes…” He said slowly. “She’s even on her way here with the others. Why are you worried about her specifically?”

Muffet looked down, trembling a little, tears in her eyes, while Grillby looked up. “Here, Muffet and I were taking care of two human souls...when our magic was drained...they were taken from us. One of them was Chara.” His flames dimmed, and he seemed smaller for a few moments. 

“So, she reformed here too?” Sans muttered under his breath. “Maybe…” He raised his voice again. “I’m sorry to hear that. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about this one though, she’s one of our strongest fighters.”

“Still can’t beat me in a fair fight, but damn if she doesn’t give me a run for my money every time!” Undyne put in, pride evident in her voice. 

Muffet breathed out softly, and Grillby took her hand again. “They’re safe in that one at least,” he assured her. 

“We’re tracking the group down,” Dogamy assured further. “And when we catch them, there will be consequences.” The other Monsters gave curt nods of agreement, even Napstablook. It seemed they were all ready to return the favor. 

Looking around the room… Sans knew for certain now that the Chara in this world was similar to theirs. Not a horrible, destructive demon that wished only for the end of everything, but a person who other people cared about, even loved if Muffet’s reaction was any indication.

“Well, with any luck, they’ll be here soon enough,” Sans said, leaning back in his chair once again and closing his sockets. 

 

“Yo…” Rex said quietly as Frisk snuggled into them. “You feeling better?” Frisk nodded, hugging them tight, and Rex smiled a little. “That’s good…” They nuzzled the former human again with a smile, their tails entangled, though Rex was secretly on high alert, a little worried over how Sans had been. 

However, they looked up as they heard noise from below. Rex frowned, and then nudged Frisk. “Get behind me,” they muttered, sliding into an attack stance, preparing to draw out the weapon hidden under their sweater while Frisk backed up to the top of the stairs, preparing to run to the kitchen if need be. 

There was the sound of pattering feet and a synthetic cry of; “Get back here, moron!” Then a teenage boy appeared around the corner, wearing a blue-and-purple striped shirt and a red scarf. He paused as he saw the children, brushing his brown bangs out of his eyes to peer at them curiously, his eyes widening as he looked at Rex.

Rex gasped, and then whipped out their dagger, letting it float in front of them. “Who are you?” they demanded, as their Frisk backed away, hiding behind them while their claws dug into the landing they were perched upon. They didn’t recognize that human--though the shirt had a pattern similar to Frisk’s sweater. 

The older boy’s brown eyes focused on the weapon floating in front of the child. Then a wide grin split his face. He turned behind him, calling;

“Hey, Kid! You’ve gotta see this, man! Have you been holding out on me?”

From around the corner came four other figures, a tall, familiar skeleton wearing shorts and a T-shirt, as well as a scarf identical to the one the Human wore. There was a yellow-scaled armless Monster who looked very similar to Rex, though definitely older and with a strange piece of metal attached to the side of his head, a black, metal robot wearing a overlong white tank-top and torn slack, and Michael, bringing up the rear.

“M--Michael!?” Rex demanded. “Who are they!?” they didn’t believe their eyes at first, and only recognizing the one skeleton.

“Hang on--let me get to the front!” The human pushed his way through, weaving around them. “Okay, they’re looking for some friends of theirs. Some fish Monster and lizard?”

“Oh...boy…” Rex slowly starting climbing the steps back. “Y--yeah, they’re here--in the kitchen, let us...uh… get out of your way,” they said, slowly sheathing the weapon.

“Hello, kids!” The tall skeleton exclaimed, striding forward. “I, am the great Papyrus! What are your names?”

Kid stared at his counterpart, eyes blinking slowly as his brain attempted to make sense out of what he was seeing. All the while, the Human teen was grinning wider than a cheshire cat. 

The fusion gave a squeak of alarm, and darted for the front door. “Yo--wait!” The Monster child raced after them, darting out the door before it closed.

Michael blinked. “Well...that was unusual.” Then he hurried up the stairs. “Hey! Anyone here!?”

“In the dining room!” came Dogamy’s voice. 

Papyrus had a confused look on his skull, his arm still stretched out towards where the children had been. But he quickly regained his composure.

“I see they are quite nervous! Not to worry, none can resist my warm, cuddly embrace for long! Nyeh-heh-heh!” 

“So, Michael,” Frisk said nonchalantly, following the man up the stairs with the rest of the group coming up behind. “Who were those two?”

“Well...the Monster is referred to as Rex. Behind them was the Ambassador, Frisk...sorry,” he said looking to the human. “They probably got scared of you--they had a bad encounter with some other Humans last month. They’ve been really jumpy and not quite themselves.” 

The teen had turned to Kid with a smirk, but froze when he named the other.

“Frisk… No way!” He said loudly, stomping his foot on the ground. “Their Frisk has cool horns and everything? Why don’t I get any of that?”

Chara snorted, walking past the two to where she had heard Dogamy’s voice. “Be honest, bro. You couldn’t carry a pair of horns. You’re not nearly cool enough for that.”

“Could totally rock a pair of horns.” Frisk grumbled. “Kid, you think I could rock the horns, right?”

The yellow-scaled Monster just shook his head mutely. He wasn’t sure if he should trust his voice yet.

As Chara reached the top, Dogamy stepped out tiredly, blinking. “Well, I’ll be. Michael, look who you brought along.”

Michael blinked, looking back. “You know them?”

“Something like that.” He looked up. “Go on ahead into the dining room. Your Undyne and Alphys are there with your Sans.” He stepped out of the way and came to Michael. “You have something…?”

The Human handed him the envelope. “Here you are, Leader didn’t want this getting hacked into, so, I got turned into a mailman for the day.”

Dogamy smirked. “Should I bark at you and chase you off the property then?”

“Hey!” Michael complained as the others filed into the dining room. 

“Took you all long enough,” Sans commented as they entered.

“Undyne! Alphys!” Papyrus exclaimed. “It’s good to see you again! Did you smash anything yet?”

The others whipped their heads around at the other arrival, with Dogamy turning back to look at Papyrus as he took the envelope, quietly murmuring to Michael. “Thank you, I’ll look at this later, but I must ask you to leave now...does this contain any?”

The human shook his head. “Still looking, I’m afraid. Trust me, if we knew, I’d come running up with a dog whistle.”

“...I’ll only tolerate those things for that reason.”

Michael nodded. “Hope you start feeling better soon, Dogamy. I miss seeing you all around.”

Dogamy gave a soft sound of agreement. “We’re not like you humans, recovering from magic drains in under a few days without even half the consequence, but...we’ll be better eventually.”

The man smiled. “Good to hear. See ya’ later.” With that, Michael headed back down the stairs. Dogamy grinned. That was one Human they could depend on. With that, he tucked the envelope away and headed back into the dining room.

Alphys had winced at Papyrus’s question and even Undyne had the decency to look sheepish about it. 

“Yeah, a little bit. It was nothing too important though.” 

“You were expecting us?” Chara asked, stepping forward and folding her arms across her chest, surveying the room through narrowed red eyes. Both Kid and Frisk took cautious steps away from her, but she didn’t seem to notice.

Gerson looked back. “Your Sans here told us more were coming,” he said as Mettaton tried to squeeze in more chairs. Upon learning the extra number of guests, he had gathered more, but he was running out of seating room, until--slightly to Grillby’s dismay, Muffet picked the fire elemental up, and set him on her lap, opening at least one more seat.

“Gerson,” Dogamy called. “The children ran into the yard. Should I get them?”

Gerson sighed, and stood. “Let me talk to them, and see what the malfunction is,” he said, slowly making his way over. 

Chara moved to the side to let him through. She wanted to start asking questions now, but… that other Frisk was probably part of the equation somehow. There was something odd about them, and Chara could wait a few more minutes to find out what.

“Take a seat,” Sans called, gesturing to the empty chairs. Everyone except Chara moved to take his advice. 

Papyrus was glancing around the dining room. “Wowie! You know, I’ve never been in the dining room here before! It’s just like I imagined it!” His skull creased slightly. “Well, I usually imagined it with King Asgore in here, but other than that, it’s perfect!”


	9. Scream of Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honour of the one-year anniversary of Corrupted File, a chapter will be posted today and tomorrow. Lucky you!

Gerson breathed out as he opened the door with a grunt, spotting the children sitting in a patch of leaves. His expression softened as they sat together, snuggling close, tails entwined. “Heh…” He slowly walked over. “Young’uns?”

Rex looked up, with Frisk shakily taking their gaze to him, clutching tight to their friend. He slowly knelt down. “Gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

“...they’re scared,” Rex mumbled worriedly. “About the others...and what they think...and…uh...other things.” To put it simply…

“Neck Warmer, is it really--” He stopped as they looked up, shaking like a leaf, tears running down their face. “...it is,” he murmured, rubbing their head. “Hey, it’ll be okay, but don’t you think we--”

They gave a quiet cry, already knowing what he wanted, and buried their face into Rex’s shoulder, shaking their head against the reptile.

“Good grief, Frisk…” Gerson thought it over. Dragging Frisk in wouldn’t accomplish anything--they were terrified. If he brought them in...they’d probably break down and panic--and...just hide under the table at best. “How ‘bout this then?”

Frisk looked up with a sniffle. Gerson smiled a little and wiped away a few tears. “You and Rex can stay in the yard--but no further, all right? I won’t force you to come in unless I deem it absolutely necessary,” he suggested, gently poking their cheek as he did so.

They looked up, and then nodded as they jumped up, hugging him in gratitude. “Yeah, yeah, Neck Warmer… ...you can let me go now, Squirt,” he said with a chuckle of amusement. They gave an unhappy sound, and reluctantly complied, but quickly switched back to Rex.

Gerson shook his head at the sight. Honestly, they could be quite a clinger when they were like this… then again, it had been worse a month ago. They had been trying to cling to everyone to make sure they wouldn’t lose another soul.

With that taken care of, Gerson slowly made his way back to the dining room.

Chara had backed up and leaned against the fireplace, her gaze constantly sweeping the room. The rest of the otherworlders were sitting quietly, having gathered that there would be an explanation soon enough. Frisk was quietly grumbling to himself, while Kid kept sending cautious glances towards his girlfriend. 

When Gerson walked in, they all looked to him, except for Sans, who was sitting slumped in his chair with his eyes closed. Gerson looked over, and then slowly sank down into his chair. “Kids are out in the yard, the room is crowded enough as is. Right then...I suppose we can start. Got any questions, or just let Muffet try to explain her piece?”

The others looked at each other.

“None that you haven’t postponed the answering of this long enough, old man.” Undyne grumbled. 

Chara stepped forwards, brushing her hair out of her eyes. 

“Go on, then.” She said quietly.

Mettaton turned, and paused, tilting his head. “Wait, I have just one for our guests,” he said, unconsciously running a hand through his untidy hair, not ever having the time to keep it clean over the past month aside from hasty combing so that it wouldn’t turn into a rat’s nest. “I recognize you four from anywhere,” he said, looking to Undyne, Alphys, and the brothers. “Those two,” he said, looking to Frisk and Kid. “Are older versions of our own, but…” He looked to Chara. “I do not recognize her...is she someone we should know on our side?”

The girl took another step forward, then widened her stance, her legs spread apart so she could stand comfortably, crossing her arms in front of her chest. 

“My name is Chara Dreemurr.” Her synthetic voice was calm, but there was the faintest trace of steel hidden in the depths of her tone. “Now,” she continued, her red eyes seeming to light up slightly. “Who’s going to tell me what happened to my family?” 

Muffet and Grillby were the ones to react the most, fully jerking their attention to her. “Ch...Chara…” Muffet managed, while Grillby looked to the robot, then up to his wife, gently placing his hands over the ones wrapped around him. She bit her lip, and then nodded. “I...I’ll try my best…” She closed her eyes, composing herself the best she could, the others looking at Chara in awe briefly. That little red ghost was...that in another dimension?

Muffet breathed out. “You’ll have to forgive me, these memories are not my own, they’re jumbled and faded, but...I’ll do my best to keep them organized.” She sighed softly, clutching the fire elemental close. “If was a month after the barrier broke...we...were just starting to move onto the outside of Mountain Ebott. It was decided to have a bit of civilization on the outside, before we encountered Humans, but one night...our Frisk...and their flower friend…”

“They were attacked by another Human. They were saved by the flower, and the Human was...killed, but not dead. They were able to come back from that. However, it wasn’t until a week later that things went wrong…” Muffet clenched her other hands tight. “They...somehow snuck into our kingdom--got into our lab and then...” The spider shuddered. “We lost one.”

There was a hiss as Undyne sucked in a breath through her teeth. The only reason she didn’t speak out was because of Alphys’s hands clutching her own tightly, while her eyes silently begged her to keep quiet.

“And it didn’t stop,” she murmured. “The next night, we lost…” She frowned. “Two in black armor…” The memory was only seen by one, and was weak to Muffet.

Dogamy lowered his head. “01 and 02,” he managed. “They died defending the Royal’s Home…”

“And it got worse...everything else fell apart within the first hours of the next morning,” Muffet managed. “Our Undyne fell next, separated from the group--her grief and rage allowed us to hurt the Human, but…” She shook her head. “Our King and Queen...she fell first...his grief turned his wound into a mortal blow…”

Frisk let out a strangled groan, allowing his head to fall into his hands while his shoulders shook.

She flinched at the next memory. “Our Papyrus had fled with Frisk and their flower companion...but they were found...he defended them--got the human away...at a heavy price. Our Frisk...right in front of them, he…” 

Grillby turned, hugging her. “Take a moment,” he murmured quietly. He knew the memories were hard to get through--especially because she saw them as if she had been there...and their Frisk had to watch Papyrus die in their hands.

“Our Sans...he found them...but the Human returned. He fought...he lost...he...he took Frisk and the flower and then…”

Sans’s sockets remained closed, and he didn’t seem to react, though if one studied him closely, there might be a faint blue sheen around the left side of his face.

Grillby looked up, taking over. “He came to my place, in Snowdin, but…” He shook his head. “He was already spilling dust--there was nothing to be done, but, he had a plan.”

Dogamy nodded. “And we executed it. My pack evacuated the nearby area...our fused parents delayed the human, while Grillby took the two to the Ruins.”

The fire elemental nodded. “We went into the garden deep within. They caught up to us, but the flower…” He chose his words carefully. “Was able to ask for help from a human ghost that had been residing there. Our Chara. They fought for control over the body, and the flower took advantage of it to get rid of that Hu--” He shook his head. “I will not grace that thing with such a term.

“Regardless...they were defeated, and Frisk thought they had the opening to...fix everything… ...it didn’t work.”

Most of the group sat in stunned silence, but as Grillby stopped, Chara let out a strangled laugh. 

“You would be right, not to call that thing Human.” She was trembling, and her gaze had fallen down to her hands, which she raised before her, sporadically clenching and unclenching them. 

“I-it wasn’t… I-” She turned on her heel and ran, running out through the door, through the garden and startling the children there with her sudden appearance. She paid them no mind though, her only desire was to get away.

“Chara!” Kid and Muffet both cried out. Kid, half rose from his seat, fully intending to rush after the girl before he was covered in a blue aura and gently pushed back down. 

“Settle down, bucko.” Sans said. “She’s gonna need you, but not yet. Trust me when I say she’s gonna want a little bit of alone time first.”

“But-”

Meanwhile, as Muffet tried to move,the fire elemental in her grasp suddenly morphed in shape, dropping down. He grabbed a wrist, sliding at first, but Muffet gasped as his weight forced her to stop. “Grillby--!”

“Muffet,” he murmured. “That’s not our Chara--and from the sounds of things, we didn’t raise them--we don’t even seem to be together in that dimension. I know you want to comfort our child’s counterpart, but you’re going to be a complete stranger to them.

“Dear…” He looked up. “I understand...but this isn’t our’s to comfort. Please sit back down--calm yourself.”

“Grillby’s right, darling,” Mettaton said, grabbing her by the shoulder’s gently as she shuddered, heding her back to her seat, and refilling her cup. “Too much stress isn’t good for you--or the baby. You need to calm down,” he said as Grillby tiredly put himself back in his seat, having drained himself from the small effort to keep Muffet in place. Had she been anything but a spider monster, he probably couldn’t have kept her.

“I know my sister.” Frisk said quietly, his head still in his hands. “Sans is right, nobody should go near her right now. She gets… unstable when she’s like this.”

Kid slouched after a moment, nodding reluctantly. Papyrus peered over the rest of them to Muffet, seeming to have caught onto the one thing the others had missed.

“Wowie! A baby? Allow Papyrus to be the first to congratulate you!”

Muffet looked up, blinking in surprise, and then dipped her head politely as Grillby looked up. “Thank you,” he said in her place, tiredly looking back to his wife, his flames dim and low.

 

Frisk and Rex looked to where the robot had run off. “Yo...was that...no, that robot is completely different,” they murmured. Frisk gave an affirmative sound as they nodded their agreement. “So...what do you want to do, Frisk?”

The former Human wiped their tears away, and then jumped to their feet, adjusting their cloak, and clenching their hands tight. Rex smiled. “Okay!” They jumped to their feet. “Let’s see if we can help, huh?”

With a nod, Frisk moved forward. They didn’t recognize Chara, and therefore, weren’t terrified of her like the others. With that in mind, the two moved forward, but then stopped at the end of the yard. “Yo...Gerson said…”

“Grandpa Gerson will let this slide,” Frisk assured. Then, they headed forth. 

Ahead, Chara ran blindly, tears filling her eyes, unsure of where she was running to, only knowing that she needed to get as far away as she could. That didn’t end up being very far though, as she tripped over something she couldn't see, crashing to the ground with a metallic clanging and a startled cry. She slowly pulled herself over to a wall, pulling herself up and turning so that her back slumped against it.

Suddenly, she lashed out, her right eye blazing with power as five orbs of red energy formed around her. With a scream of anger and despair, she gestured wildly, sending the attack crashing into the walls opposite her.

As quickly as the power had come to her though, it faded, and Chara pulled up her sleek, black metal knees, sobbing brokenly into them. 

Frisk and Rex poked their heads around a corner, and then ducked back. “Yo...do you think that damaged the elevator back to the core?”

Their friend shrugged, not knowing, but knew if it was true, Mettaton would find a way to fix it eventually. “...what do you want to do, Frisk?”

They hummed, and then grabbed their cell phone, searching through their items. Now, what was a good peace offering…? As they looked at that, Rex poked their head around the corner again. 

“It would have been me,” Chara cried, rocking shakily back and forth. “It would have been me! If S-sans and Frisk hadn’t…” She shook violently… “All gone… all dust... “ She moaned. “Nothing left…. **And it’s all my fault!”**

“Yo…” Rex murmured quietly. “Got anything?”

They turned and jerked in surprise at all the items piled up around Frisk as they sorted through them. Some toys, some food, and several things the child couldn’t identify. Then, they grabbed a bar of candy, and Rex deadpanned. “Of course…”

The child gave a grin, and then nervously poked their head around, starting to step forward, but then, looking at the walls, they decided to give a heads up and not startle her. “...hello…?” they asked, adjusting their cloak just a little. 

“Why?” Chara wept, not hearing the child’s soft greeting. “Why did I have to be so…” She clutched at her head. “And the nightmares… every night the same one, over and over again… I can’t… I can’t….”

They swallowed, inching closer, with Rex peering out around the corner. If something went wrong, they could use their magic to jerk Frisk back to safety. 

Frisk called a little louder this time. “Um...hello?”

The mechanical girl jerked in alarm, staring wide-eyed at the child before her. Her right eye blazed for a brief moment before fading, and she looked away. 

“You should leave,” She said hollowly, tears still rolling down her face. “There’s nothing good here for you.”

The cloaked child shook their head, and came over, scooting close, and then stopping a few feet away. Then, they slid down, sitting next to her, before holding out something. “...candy?”

Crimson eyes, made hazy by the veil of tears surrounding them looked down on the offering. Hesitantly, she reached out a hand, her fingers almost brushing it before she recoiled. 

Kid slumped against the alley wall. A bag of chocolates for her lying discarded next to his broken visor. The reason he had almost died.

She pulled back, sinking her head back onto her knees and trying to cover it with her arms.

Frisk looked in concern, and drew the offering back. Instead, they inched closer. They reached out, hesitating, and then placed a hand on her arm, waiting silently for the moment. 

Chara flinched at the contact.

“Why?” She muttered. “Why aren’t you afraid of me? Out of everyone who came here… I should be the only one you fear.”

The child tilted their cloaked head. “...you’re sad,” they stated simply. “That’s why I’m not…” 

Chara barked a hollow laugh.

“That’s right, you don’t even know who I am, do you?” She looked up at the child. “What would you say if you knew that, in this world, I killed most of your friends? Would you still stay beside me then?” Her lip curled into a self-deprecating sneer.

Frisk looked up, hands clenching over the scarf that was wrapped over their palms, realizing who the robot was. “You stand beside my family in that world...don’t you?” they asked, their eyes hidden-- Frisk was good at hiding their eyes, ever since they were little. “Maybe not at first...maybe there were a lot of Resets...but...right now?”

Chara stared at the child for a moment, her eyes dull.

“How does that excuse my actions? If our roles were reversed in this, I would have killed you already.” Despite her words, her tone was not threatening. She sank her head back behind her knees. “Even now… It would probably be for the best if you did.”

The child shrugged. “Maybe you would have…” Frisk murmured. “But...it didn’t go that way.” 

The robot was silent, though her shoulders still trembled. She didn’t look up.

Frisk scooted a little closer. “Maybe you didn’t get it the first time...or a lotta times...but...you figured it out.”

Chara laughed harshly, raising her head for a moment before letting it clang against her knees again.

“Me? What makes you think I figured anything out? I saved no-one. Frisk brought us back to the surface… and even he couldn’t save everyone. He helps people. Me?” A bitter smile formed on her face, though it was barely visible from beneath her bowed head. “Conflict is the only thing I’m any good at. You don’t get it do you?” She finally looked up, self hatred displayed across her face.

“I haven’t changed. I’m no different than what I was in the Underground. Not long ago, I was ready to commit genocide again. And I knew full well there were no more Resets to undo my damage.” Her expression twisted in a combination of anguish and grief. “If he had d-died,” she choked. “I would have killed them all.”

“...wrong thing for the right reasons…” was the child’s quiet murmur as they somehow scooted closer. They could understand the logic--but not get behind it. 

“Don’t patronize me, Frisk.” Chara mumbled. “We both know there were no right reasons. Even if somewhere in my rage there had been, it wouldn’t have been justifiable.” She tightened herself, seeming to shrink into the wall. 

“I’m not a Human… I’m not a Monster…” her voice was barely audible. “And you know better than most what I’m capable of. What I could become. You should just kill me now while you have the chance.”

“I know two things you can become. I’ve witnessed both.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Chara snapped.

Frisk flinched, and then scooted closer. “It means you could be the worst person ever...or you can be--from what I know--a nice quiet soul. It means…” Frisk looked up, but their eyes remained mostly closed, though they were quiet for a few moments. “Since you’re not the worst person ever I have no reason to do that. And even if you were...” They spread their arms out. “I’d still give you Mercy.”

Chara looked up in confusion. Though her face was still wet, she had ceased crying at some point along the way.

“Idiot.” Her voice held no malice or anger… in fact, there was a tired hint of fond amusement in her synthetic tones. She slid her knees down and leaned forwards, plucking the child from the ground and sitting them on her lap, arms encircling around them as she held Frisk close, mindful of the horns.

“You’re too nice, Frisk.” The metallic girl muttered half-heartedly. “It’s going to get you killed one day.”

Frisk simply gave a happy hum and snuggled close, conscious of their horns and other oddities as they hugged her tight. Chara was completely right...but they didn’t care about that. They had gotten what they had set out for, and were satisfied.

**Stupid accepting kid…** Chara thought to herself, glad that her brother couldn’t see her now… she would never hear the end of it if he found out about this. She pulled an arm up and began stroking the child’s hair softly. Her other arm remained holding the little one and she leaned her head back against the wall.

This Frisk reminded her so much of how her own used to be… before he became completely insufferable, anyway. Her brother always seemed-

She paused her movements. Grillby had said… flower friend. Could it be…

“Frisk…” Chara murmured, unconsciously resuming her ministrations and struggling to keep her voice neutral.

“Is Asriel…?” She let her question trail off. She was certain the child would know what she meant.

The child looked up, and then shook their head. “...not here right now,” was their reluctant reply. 

“But, is he alive?” Chara pressed. “I don’t care if he’s still a flower, as long as there’s something left…”

“...I don’t know,” Frisk replied helplessly. “The last time I…” They shivered. “Was four years ago...he...had absorbed a bad soul to keep them contained--it got out of hand...he might still be alive--if he is...I know there’s still a chance to save him...but I’ve got no way to get to him…I’m sorry...” The last part was finished in a mumble. 

Chara slumped against the wall

“I don’t know if that’s better or worse than finding out that he died here too.” She muttered tiredly. She closed her eyes.

“Damn it, Asriel, why didn’t you listen to me? Or not go along with the plan at all? If anyone… you should have been the one to survive.”

Frisk jerked with a choked sound. “He...didn’t...make it in your world…?” They managed, their voice somehow even softer than before as it clicked in. Even in that one…was Asriel simply not allowed to have a happy ending?

Chara shook her head slowly, not opening her eyes as the back of her head rested against the wall.

“A few months after the barrier broke, a being from another world appeared in ours. He was looking for me. He found Asriel first.” She swallowed. “He killed him, then, when he found me, he nearly destroyed us all. He tried to absorb my soul, he nearly killed Undyne and Frisk was sent into a coma keeping me from him. 

“That’s when I found out I had magic. That’s when I learned I wasn’t Human.”

Frisk had fallen silent, hurt and confused, and while questions arose, their mind stayed focused on the fact that Asriel hadn’t made it. Their friend...the one they had fought so hard to save...if this was the better world that Chara came from...then was it all in vain? Would Frisk simply have lost him at a later point instead?

With her eyes closed and her awareness no longer clouded by grief and anger... At least not completely so, Chara took note of a few things that she hadn’t before.

She let out a sigh.

“You can come out now,” she called, eyes still closed. 

Rex poked their head out, and then came over hesitantly. “Yo...Frisk…?” They tilted their head in confusion as Frisk looked back to them. 

Chara opened one eye for a moment before closing it again.

“Can’t say I’m surprised...Kid does like sticking his muzzle into things. Like jumping after us through tear in the fabric of reality, for example.” 

They tilted their head, and then stood firm. “It’s kinda my business,” they stated. “When it involves my Frisk.” 

Chara raised an eyebrow at them, noting not only their words and tone, but also their stance. 

“ _Your_ Frisk?” she asked, filing that particular phrase away for a later date.

Frisk slowly freed themselves from Chara, going beside the Monster child. “...you might want to head back,” they mumbled quietly. “I’m sure they’ll start worrying…” 

Chara sighed and rubbed at her face, reluctantly standing up. 

“The moment we get back home, I’m going to sleep for a week,” She grumbled to herself halfheartedly. 

There was the sudden sound of claws tapping and skittering against the ground, and the older Kid ran into view, panting slightly. His left eye was once again slightly obscured by the red interface from his visor. 

“Yo, Chara! There you are!” He looked down at the children and waggled his head in his version of a wave. “Hey, Frisk! Hey… uh… me?” He shook his head. “Man, this has been one weird day, haha.” 

Rex perked in surprise, and then looked to their Frisk as they clenched the reptile’s shoulders quietly, using them as a shield, a little nervous now that a second one had come along, though they weren’t shaking, which Rex took as a good sign. “Uh...yo...we uh--we’ll get out of your way,” Rex said, scooting around, dipping their head at their counterpart. “We’ll be in the yard if you need anything.” The moment they got to the corner, Frisk darted off. 

“Yo, wait up!” Rex called. 

Chara’s eyes followed the children for a moment, then her gaze turned to the teen in front of her, who now looked just a tinge more nervous. She began slowly walking after them. 

“Come on, we should get back,” she said, exhaustion evident in her voice. 

“Yo…” Kid started, hesitating for a moment before following her. “I’m… I’m sorry about what happened to your parents here… and I’m sorry that I followed you through.” 

“Not as much of a fun adventure as you thought?” Chara said wryly. She sighed. “It’s alright… That’s not… not why I ran.” 

Kid looked at her in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

Chara’s hands clenched into fists, and she didn’t reply right away. 

“Kid, there’s something I… I need to tell you,” she said finally, unable to look at him. “When we’re back on our side. And we’ve got….” She waved a hand. “This figured out. After that... “ She lowered her head. “You can hate me as much as you want.” 

Kid blinked rapidly. 

“Yo!” he said, a bit louder than necessary, perhaps. “I could never hate you!” He leaned forwards, nuzzling the side of her neck and was relieved when she didn't push him away this time. “I don’t care what it is, Chara! I still only have the one plan for after high school, and nothing’s gonna change that!” 

Chara shook her head slowly, stopping for a moment, though Kid’s display did make her feel a bit better. 

“Just… you know I love you, right?” she managed, her body trembling slightly again. Kid pressed against her in his version of a hug. 

“I know. I love you too, Chara,” he said, kissing her cheek just above the metal bars lining her jaw. 

“C’mon, like you said, the others are waiting.” 

 

The little kid carefully snuck their tail under Frisk’s cloak to entwine their currently hidden limb. “Yo...was that...their Chara?” Frisk nodded. “They’re...a lot different from ours.” 

Frisk nodded again, but had pieced together the puzzle. Unlike in their world where there had been two Charas on opposite sides of a coin, this one was a bit of both, a mixed bag. They had done horrible things, but could--and have changed their ways, and so long as that could be done, Frisk would never have a quarrel with them. 

The child leaned back, eyes drooping. Rex looked over, and then scooted closer, knowing they were easily worn out as of late, and that Frisk wouldn’t want to head to bed just yet. So they came close, allowing Frisk to lean against them. 


	10. A Way with Words

“That was… quite the story,” Sans said finally, looking over the now-silent table. “Travelling into the Abyss… Which is apparently a thing. But it explains how Frisk was able to absorb those souls.” He looked over to Muffet. “I’m still surprised you managed to get back out. I never thought such a thing would be possible. Guess this place is just full of surprises.”

Alphys was staring at Muffet. “E-even with the little Human’s soul, you’re very lucky that your body didn’t dissolve! M-monster bodies aren’t meant to handle Human Souls like that! It’s one thing for a Monster to absorb a Human soul into them, but their body wouldn’t last long if it only had a Human soul!” She hesitated. “Though… on our side it’s m-more of a… compatibility difference than actually overpowering the body…”

Muffet nodded shakily. “It...was a close call, had Alma’s soul not been there,” she murmured.

Mettaton glanced up. “Had it been any other soul, her body wouldn’t have lasted as long as it did. Alma’s soul--to put it simply--was broken. They didn’t have the same amount of Determination as regular human souls, so her body didn’t start melting. Had our Chara done it--she wouldn’t have lasted long, if she lasted at all,” he explained.

“Interesting that you guys have a radical anti-Monster group here too,” Frisk piped up. “We weren’t aware of ours until they kidnapped me a couple months ago. Fortunately the one on our side isn't nearly as influential as yours, they certainly couldn’t make something that drained Monsters of magic...” He shuddered. “I’m glad most of your Humans are helping you with that though, we can’t get anyone official to recognise Overwatch in any way. Still… It sounds like your Frisk has outdone me at every turn! And I’ve done some crazy things!”

Gerson nodded. “It helps that the Leader has always tried to unite humans and monsters. He actually gave us a chance right off the bat...and well…”

Dogamy sighed. “He ended up helping us in battle, but he wasn’t trained to go up against another red-magic user.”

Grillby’s flames crackled quietly. “He’s in the hospital now--but as that organization is a threat to humans and monsters alike, we have more help than we typically would.”

Both Undyne and Papyrus were silent. Undyne’s head was slightly lowered, the tip of her ponytail just touching her shoulder, while the fingers of one hand tapped softly against the table. Papyrus just sat very still, his arms at his sides.

“We’re sorry…” Napstablook murmured. “That had to of been a lot of mostly bad information to get all at once. Oh no...things are confusing enough in your world, without us telling you about our own…” 

Papyrus glanced up.

“Don’t worry about it, my not-really-at-all spooky friend! The great Papyrus is simply experiencing a revelation as to why my brother keeps so many secrets from me! Not that it makes me like it anymore…” He shot a glance at his brother who just gave a shrug. 

“W-well, we did ask you to tell us,” Alphys added hesitantly.

“I just wish we could do something to help,” Undyne growled, scratching at her recycler again. “You guys have been dragged through hell, and then we show up, making things more complicated again.”

Gerson waved her off. “Honestly, you haven’t caused any actual problems. No one’s hurt from this, so let’s just focus on getting it back the way it was. I’m not all that good with this stuff, but I can’t imagine this cross-world thing can be all that good for either side currently.”

Muffet looked up. “It doesn’t sound like any of you will be getting home tonight though…”

Sans shook his skull. 

“I doubt it. We’ve got the Rift at least semi-stabilized on two sides, but I’m going to have to make sure it’s stable on this side first. I dunno how long that’ll take, but given how hard it was on my side, I don’t think it’s gonna be a cakewalk.”

“A-and I have to finish upgrading Undyne’s recycler before we can go back,” Alphys chipped in, wringing her hands nervously. “B-but that shouldn’t take too long, especially if Sans can give me data on the Rift?”

“Can do Alph. Heh. Just like old times.”

The spider monster blinked tiredly. “We can get all of you some food,” she offered. 

“Muffet,” Grillby started. “You really shouldn’t--you need to rest--”

She placed a hand on his head. “I know...I’ll ask the clans to make these meals, and trust Cupcake to the rest.”

There was the sound of the door opening, and the group turned to see Chara and Kid walk in, the robotic girl leaning tiredly against the reptile. Kid blinked at the others, managing a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Yo… sorry we took so long. I-”

“I-is your visor working okay?” Alphys asked worriedly, interrupting the boy in her haste. “I umm, only did some basic repairs, I wasn’t sure if it w-would be umm, stable yet?” 

The boy shrugged gently, trying not to disturb the girl leaning against him too much.

“Nah, it’s cool. Been working fine.”

Mettaton glanced over. “It’s just a good thing we can get your electronics back up on our side at all,” he said as Napstablook tiredly looked up.

Alphys was about to answer the robot, but as she opened her mouth, Kid gave a start as he finally noticed the ghost on Mettaton’s shoulders. 

“Yo, Dad?” He asked, without thinking. “What are you doing here?”

The ghost paused. “Dad…?” Mettaton jerked as the ghost faded. “Oh no, I think...they got the wrong monster...”

“Blooky--don’t do that--you’re recovering!”

“Sorry…” the ghost managed, sliding down onto their cousin’s back. 

“Kid…” Chara murmured.

The teen blinked a couple of times in confusion before realization set in. 

“Oh... right, I guess uh...” He looked away. “Nevermind,” he muttered under his breath, stepping back.

“Blooky,” Mettaton murmured, grabbing his cousin, cradling them in his arms. “I told you,” he grumbled under his breath, and then stood. “I hate to cut my time short here, everyone, but I need to get Blooky back to the lab.”

“I-I’ll come with you!” Alphys said, hurrying over. “I should probably go and get started on the recycler a-anyways… U-undyne, it’s probably best if you don’t come,” she said, seeing her wife beginning to rise. 

“What? You think I’m gonna break stuff?”

“T-the last two times you were in a lab with me, you trashed the DT extracter and caused a hole in the fabric of reality,” Alphys reminded. “L-lets avoid any more accidents, okay?” 

“Hey, works for me,” Sans assured, standing. “I’ll be out by the rift, if anyone needs me.” And just like that, he was gone.

The native monsters barely batted an eye at Sans’s disappearance. “Well,” Gerson murmured. “That’s that.”

Dogamy rose. “I need to tend to this report,” he informed. “If I’m needed for anything else, let me know…” He drew a hand over his face. 

“How you going to do that?” Gerson asked.

“What do you mean?” Dogamy questioned.

“01 and 02 were on duty last night. Who’s turn is it to watch the pups?”

“...oh no.”

“Never fear, Dogamy!” Papyrus exclaimed, rising. “Not only is the great Papyrus a master of paperwork, but I am also great with children! I shall help you through this troubled time!”

“Never would have thought it but… the nerd’s actually pretty good with the stuff.” Undyne admitted. 

“If you’re sure…” Dogamy replied, a bit wary. “They were a large litter, and…”

Muffet covered her face. “They get into a lot of trouble.”

Gerson snickered. “Whenever Mettaton babysits, he has to make sure he still has all his parts afterwards, plus, they haven’t seen a skeleton monster before. Better be ready for that and make sure they don’t run off with any fingers or the like.” 

“Never fear, Dogamy! You and Dogaressa have a litter on our side too, and I have a system! None can defeat the great Papyrus, not even tiny fuzzy furballs!”

“Then I’d appreciate the help,” Dogamy said. “Hope you don’t mind a trip to Snowdin.”

“Yo, Chara, are you okay?” Kid asked concernedly as the girl carefully made her way back to the table and slumped down in the chair, leaning heavily against her boyfriend the entire way. “Your magic levels are looking almost as low as these guys… maybe you should eat something and rest for a bit…”

Grillby looked over quietly. “If it’s food and rest you need, then Muffet and I can be of assistance. Think you can make it to her parlor?” 

Chara blinked tiredly at them, 

“The.. one in Hotlands?” She managed.

Muffet nodded, standing slowly. “It’s not too far--we can take the elevator through the Core, and then it’s just a short walk…”

“And this is why you don’t bring out the wings, sis,” Frisk called out, though there was just a hint of concern in his voice. “You know those things really drain your system. How’s your battery even doing?”

Chara glared at him. 

“It’s fine! It’s just been… a long day,” she finished, her voice betraying her weariness. She stood up slowly. “I can make it down there, just… give me a moment.”

“You should go with her, Kid.” Frisk grinned. “Make sure she actually gets some rest.”

“Hey, I followed her here, I’m not staying behind now,” Kid retorted, pressing up against Chara as she stood. The girl gave him a tired smile.

“Idiot…”

Grillby’s flames crackled softly in amusement as he stood, looking up at the two, before he sensed a shadow falling over him. He leaned back, looking to his wife, who was tiredly glaring at him, all arms folded. “And what do you think you’re doing, Sir?”

“...standing?”

He gave a soft gasp as his wife grabbed him with ease, putting him on her back once more. “Like I’m letting you walk.”

“Dear--”

“No.”

“Dear…” His flames started to turn pink and he simply buried his face. There was no arguing with her like this. 

Frisk chuckled at the sight and Chara and Kid followed the two out, leaving only himself, Gerson and Undyne in the room.

“I have got to find out if those two got together on my side. If not… the Matchmaker will strike again!”

“You do have a habit of getting people together, don’t you punk?” Undyne ribbed good-naturedly. “Now if you could just hold a girlfriend for more than three months, huh?”

The boy shrugged.

“Haven’t found my muse yet.”

“Take your time,” Gerson murmured. “As much as I nag for certain people to get together, you have to find the right one first.” He stood slowly. “Now, what to do with you?” he murmured, face twitching in amusement. 

The teen thought for a moment. 

“Actually… I’d like to see if I can talk to your Frisk.” He said quietly. “They seemed really nervous around us, and after hearing the story… I can see why. Maybe we’re not quite the same person but…” He shrugged. “I might have a better idea than most how to calm them down.“

“Well if the ‘can’t keep a girlfriend’ is anything to go by,” Gerson mumbled. Then he nodded. “They’re in the yard with Rex. Had you come a month sooner, like we said, they’d probably be more talkative due to the others, but if you think you can do something, be my guest.”

“That’s alright… I wasn’t very talkative until a couple years back either.” Frisk stood. “Guess I’ll give it a whirl… heh.” He posed dramatically. “In tonight's episode, Frisk points the barrel of his sawed-off friend making shotgun at his toughest opponent yet…his counterpart!”

“Just get a move on. I’ve seen glaciers move faster than that.” 

Frisk grinned at the turtle then turned and quickly exited the house. Undyne chuckled.

“You always did have a way with words, old man.”

“Had centuries of practice,” was his reply.

 

“Yo, Frisk…” came a quiet whisper. “Frisk…” They gave an unhappy grunt as a tail nudged them. “Wake up--I think someone wants to talk to us--”

Frisk jerked, coming to attention, swiftly yanking their hood down some more, quietly yelling at Asgore about his horns...with no answer. Nervously, they looked up, while Rex shook their head. Maybe they wouldn’t allow Frisk to sneak out at night either if it helped cause this sort of thing. 

The older Frisk stood a few feet away, standing casually with his thumbs in his pockets.

“Hey.” He said quietly, a small, comforting smile on his face. “Do you mind if I sit over  
here? It’s a nice yard, and I haven’t had a chance to be here in a while…”

Rex looked over at Frisk, who was mostly quiet. “Well…?”

Frisk was silent, before nodding, adjusting their attire, to hide their entwined tails, and just motioned to the empty patch of leaves around them. Still plenty of room for one more. 

The teen sat with a quiet groan, keeping a respectful distance from the two. He leaned back on his arms and looked up at the ceiling for a few moments.

“Been awhile since I’ve been down here,” he said at last. “Or thought about going through the Underground. Maybe I should take another pilgrimage sometime.”

Rex looked over with a tilt of their head. “Yo...you’ve been in the Underground?” 

The older boy looked over.

“I’m Frisk,” he stated simply. “I’ve seen as much of the Underground as yours has... well, maybe not the Abyss parts, but I’m not convinced we’ve got one of those on my side.”

“You...you’re Frisk?” the monster child asked in bewilderment. It just seemed...weird…

Rex’s Frisk jerked their hooded face up in surprise, looking at their counterpart with a mix of curiosity and fear. It didn’t even occur to them until now that they could run into another version of themselves. 

The boy grinned. 

“Surprise! Sorry if I’m a bit of a disappointment, but I get that a lot.” He moved one of the arms that supported him to scratch the back of his head. “Hard not to when Chara’s your sister,” he grumbled good-naturedly.

The little Frisk shook their head, though had scooted to use Rex as a shield. He hadn’t done much of anything to give them the idea that he was a disappointment. However, they tilted their head a moment later. Chara was his...sister? 

...Frisk had to ask their Chara something if they recovered that soul. 

Their elder looked away again for a few minutes, before speaking again, unconsciously fiddling with his red scarf as he did so..

“I’d like to talk to you for a bit, if you don’t mind. I would say with you but… from what I understand, you don’t really talk much. Not really surprising, I didn’t really talk much until a couple years ago either. If you want to say something, feel free to go ahead, but I won’t be upset if you don’t want to, that sound alright?”

The hooded one gave a nod, while Rex looked between them in confusion. “Uh, Yo...should I...uh…?”

The older Frisk shrugged, picking absently at his sleeve.

“Not my call. It’s possible that I’m gonna end up bringing up things that I’m pretty sure only really relate to us, but… like I said, not my decision.”

The other thought about it, and then whispered to Rex. “Yeah...I think I can live with that.” The child giggled, and whispered something else, and Rex’s cheeks colored. “Y--yo! That’s not it at all!” They jumped up, bopping the former Human on the head, before trekking over to the house, and sitting down by the door, out of earshot for quiet conversation. 

The little Frisk giggled, before readjusting the cloak, and slowly looking to the older Frisk, pulling the hood down further before hiding their hands in the sleeves.

Frisk’s smile almost seemed to twitch, the motion so quick it was hard to tell if it had actually happened. Then he sat up straight, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap. 

“They told us the story,” he said quietly. “And now… I think I have a better idea why you ran away when we first saw you.” 

They didn’t say anything in response, and just seemed to hide further away in their cloak, allowing him to continue. 

“When I finally got out of the Underground… I was so happy, so relieved. And I was completely exhausted. It took so long for me to get a happy ending, especially since I had to fight Chara every step of the way for it. So many Resets…” He rubbed at his face.

“I was so grateful to have finally brought everyone to the surface, to finally have the noise in my head fighting with me, instead of against me… that I overlooked the one person whose sacrifice made all of it possible.”

The other Frisk stiffened, clenching their fists, almost certain that they knew who he was talking about, and how that didn’t go the way it should have for either side of this strange rift. 

Frisk bowed his head, returning his hands slowly to his lap.

“I left Flowey behind, like he asked me to. Sure, I went and visited him, tried to convince him to come up with us but. In the end, I let him be. And then he was killed. I felt so guilty. I could have brought him up with us, could have tried to find a way to make him Asriel again before we were attacked, I could have-” He stopped abruptly and took a deep breath.

“My point is, I understand that feeling of guilt. And I think that feeling like everything that goes wrong is somehow our fault is something that we share. You feel guilty that you weren’t able to save everyone, and seeing us… hasn’t helped. Am I close to the mark?”

“...not close…” they mumbled, shaking their head. “...right on it…” The voice was soft, and one had to be paying attention to pick out the words.

The teen gave a sad smile. 

“Thought so. You’re searching for your happy ending, but it’s frustrating when it keeps seeming out of reach. Sorta like Sans. Ever since we got out of the Underground, he’s been a little overprotective of the whole thing. I guess it’s not surprising given what he had to go through to get here, but you should have seen him panicking a few months ago when it looked like things were starting to crumble.

“He may keep everything behind the smiling jokester act, but he’s fought harder than any of us to get us where we are today.” He winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “Guess he’s allowed to be a little paranoid about it…”

“...your Sans…” they started, but, oddly, they fell completely silent, turning their head so that only the right side could be seen. They opened their mouth, perhaps to make a statement...perhaps to ask a question...but then they closed it, not uttering a single word. 

The older boy looked questioningly at them.

“Like I said, if you don’t want to say anything you don’t have to… but if there’s something you do want to say, I’ll listen.” A wry tone entered his voice. “I’m told I’m good at that, when I manage to keep my mouth shut for five minutes.”

They tilted their head at that, finding the concept of any Frisk having that issue...alien. They were quiet, trying to figure out what to say, and what to say first. “Your Sans...never gives up?” they asked. “Not ever?”

“I’m told there were a couple of close calls but… yeah. If Sans gave up, we wouldn’t be talking right now.”

They were quiet for a brief moment, and then hurriedly tossed up another question. “How much does he know? ...about that...ability? Like...the one that could be there?” They asked, pointing near the doorway, hinting about the stars. While this Frisk could see them, they knew that the other likely couldn’t, but...he had to know, right?

“The one that could be there?” The elder echoed, tilting his head slightly and frowning. “I’m.. not sure I follow” He looked to where the child was pointing. “Uhh.. something to do with Kid? Do they have cool powers here too?”

Frisk covered their face, and shook their head. “Stars--could you see the stars?” If that didn’t get to him...maybe they could borrow Grandpa Gerson’s hammer…

The teen’s frown deeped for a moment before his expression cleared. 

“Oh, yeah! I always envisioned a star when I Saved. I forgot about that. You’re talking about the time altering powers, right?” His face fell. “Yeah… Sans knows everything. He’d already guessed at most of it, but I told him everything when we got out of the Underground. The Resets, the deaths, the dust...” He shuddered briefly. “Everything. I figured I owed him that much.”

The little one was quiet. Then, maybe their Sans really did know about all their...they suddenly frowned and slowly glanced back up. “Dust...why would you have seen…?”

The elder looked down in surprise.

“Didn’t you… Wait, before we keep going, I was wondering, but I should probably ask this now. They didn’t tell us much about your Chara, but from what I heard, it sounds like yours is… quite a bit different. Didn’t yours try and take control while you were in the Underground?” 

Frisk looked up with a gasp and shook their head wildly, unconsciously slipping out their hands as they waved them. “There’s two Charas--and two of me--but I was the one that didn’t get taken over--I...I never hurt--never killed anyone.” 

“Two of you? Two Charas? What-” The teen suddenly shook his head. “Wait, let’s hold off on that one for now, otherwise we’ll never keep on track. I have a feeling that’s going to be an interesting explanation anyway.” He rubbed at his forehead. 

“Chara never tried to take you over… okay, that makes things a lot more clear… though I have a feeling there’s a dust storm approaching. Uhh… poor choice of words.” He sighed. “Chara and I were fighting constantly for control back when we went through the Underground. I always Reset as soon as I could after she took control but...I never forgot. Especially the timeline before this one. If it hadn’t been for Sans, she would have destroyed our world completely.”

“Y--you’re more like Alma--but...not...you fought back…” the little Frisk stammered, hiding their hands away again.

Their counterpart narrowed his eyes in confusion.

“Alma?”

The little Frisk perked, and looked up. “Oh, that’s the name of my counterpart from the other timeline where…” They didn’t finish, and just made a soft sound of discomfort.

“The other timeline? You mean, the one where…” The boy hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully, settling on, “The other one came from?”

They nodded grimly. “Alma’s body was what was used. They didn’t fight, and their soul was broken from the whole thing…”

“So… that’s what you meant by there were two of you here already.” Frisk breathed. “And if they didn’t fight back… well. Even with me and Sans fighting as hard as we could, he still had to kill Chara a hundred and twenty-four times before I finally managed to take control back. And Sans is one of the most powerful beings I’ve ever seen.”

“I don’t know how it went in that timeline exactly...” They shuddered. “But...Sans...I’ve seen that power...he can be scary.” Frisk remembered him, talking to that corruption, the light fading from his eyes, his voice menacing, before he unleashed terrifying attacks that Frisk had been grateful to not be in front of. 

“No kidding,” the boy murmured. “I wanted him to win, and he still terrified me.” He rubbed at his arms. “Pro tip, try to avoid being caught in those blasters. The only good thing about it is that, by comparison, everything else feels like a paper cut.”

Frisk nodded shakily, their hood hiding their face almost completely. “I k--know. I saw them….” And once in a great while...they had used them. They knew how dangerous those things were.

“I love how I came over here to try and help you be more comfortable with us, and here we are talking about Sans brutally murdering me over and over,” the teen said wryly, brushing a lock of brown hair out of his face. “It looks like my people skills are a bit rusty at the moment.”

Frisk shrugged. “...I was the one asking,” they murmured. “...You can change the topic if you want…”

“I guess you were,” their counterpart replied. “Well, do you have anything else to ask? Preferably not pertaining to blasters?”

The little one frowned in thought, then slowly shook their head. “Not right now…your side of things...sounds easy enough to follow...” 

“Well it’s certainly not the tangled mess it looks like it’s been over here…” Frisk agreed. “Then I’ll get to the other thing I wanted to say. 

“I’m assuming that how it works with you and your extra souls is much the same how it was when me and Chara were sharing my body, you can hear them in your head, talk to them and they can try and take control if they want, that about right?”

“Uh-huh...we could do that. I could even use their magics...if I got knocked out, or they wanted to do something at night, they could easily take control, but…” They went quiet for a few long moments. “All our magic was drained...I haven’t heard from them since...it’s been silent.” 

The elder of the two whistled. 

“Use their magic… wow. No idea if I coulda done that with Chara, though I don’t think she’d have let me even if I could.” He refocused on the child. “I actually was in a similar situation to you once.”

The younger one raised their head, and tilted it with a questioning sound, but otherwise, was silent. 

“It was inversed though… Some really powerful guy came to try and take Chara’s soul a couple years ago when we were still merged. I stopped him, barely. But it took so much energy that I was practically in a coma for… what, five, six months? And since there weren’t any physical traits to show that I was still in there somewhere, everyone assumed I had died.

“My point is, I wouldn’t worry too much about them being gone. It might take some time, but they’ll come back.”

The other pondered for a moment. “...I know they’re not gone, but...I’m worried about if they’ll wake up. They were all there one moment...and then nothing.”

“They’ll wake up,” the teen stated confidently “I managed it and, where I come from at least, Human souls aren’t really any stronger than Monster ones. If I could do it, so can they.

“Which brings us to my other point.” He looked straight into his younger counterpart’s face. “You didn’t fail anybody.” He raised a hand. “Just listen for a moment. It’s only becoming more clear that you have nothing that you should feel guilty over, even by our admittedly twisted standards. Yes, a lot of your friends… your family died. But you made sure that wasn’t permanent didn’t you? You even took their souls into yourself to bring them back.

“And I happen to know for a fact that extra souls can be extracted. Until a year ago, Chara was just a voice in my head, and now look at her. Your souls are asleep right now, but they’re alive. And that’s because of you. They’ve been given a second chance because of you. No one else would have gone into the Abyss to get them back.

“Everyone keeps talking about getting us all back to our sides, and basically pretending this all never happened. But… isn’t that wasting an opportunity? Maybe there’s a reason that this Rift just happened to lead here. Alphys… Alphys has done a ton of research into souls over the last few years. When your souls wake up... Maybe she can find a way to safely extract them and give them bodies again? Maybe… maybe this was supposed to happen?” The boy fell silent, waiting for the child’s reaction.

The little Frisk breathed out. “...they’re not wrong to worry about that. To want to get everything back to… normal. All the damage here? ...that was because of someone from another dimension. ...we don’t want that to happen again--but this is different…” The younger one felt nervous still, but, talking to this counterpart was a little easy under the mindset that they were similar. “...you’re here by accident, not to wipe out everything.”

They looked at a hand, the scarf tied firmly over their palm. “We’ve been trying to fix this…for nearly four years...all we managed to save was Aunt Muffet.” They slowly closed their hand. “I’m tired of setbacks...I just want to fix everything, and have our happy ending...if the answer lies in your world…” They turned their head toward him. “Then I’ll happily look there.” 

“I’m well acquainted with setbacks,” the taller Frisk murmured. “It’s hard to tell with the Resets, but I must have spent… months? Years? A long time in the Underground. And things were at their darkest before they got better.” He hesitated. “Maybe that doesn’t sound encouraging but… you have hope. And we’re more than willing to help you guys however we can. Your happy ending may not be as far away as you might think.”

Frisk had looked away at first, at the mention of the Resets, but then slowly looked back. “...then we’ll see...but I think we need to focus...on getting your family back to where they belong...and right now, we have two people to find, and they take priority over this.” 

Their elder slowly nodded. 

“I can agree on that. We’ve both got things that need to be done but… this could lead to better things for both our worlds.”

“...both?”

“It’s not like my world’s perfect either. And especially since Monsters have been majorly spreading out, I don’t get to see nearly as many as I used to. It’d be nice to have some more friends out here.” He suddenly grinned. “I can’t wait to see Mom’s face when she hears about this.”

“Uncle Mettaton heard from your Alphys...is she really gonna…?”

The grin widened. 

“Yup! I’m gonna have a little sister soon enough. Not sure who yet, Mom and Dad have been working on names but… haven’t figured anything out yet. And Dad’s are all just… terrible. At this rate we’re gonna be lucky if she’s not just named ‘Daughter’.”

“...they’re the same…” Frisk mumbled, before shaking their head and carefully getting to their feet. “Um...I...should stay with Rex and check on things…...maybe mention your idea.” 

The twitch returned to Frisk’s mouth as he nodded. 

“Right… I’ll go see what trouble I can get into. Talk to you later, Frisk.” He shook his head. “So weird calling someone else that…”


	11. Sword and Shield

Rex looked up as the older Frisk parted ways with their friend. They relaxed, only to jump with a yelp as the door opened, already drawing their weapon. “Hold, it, Rex!” The reptile blinked to see Gerson looking down, and then gave a sheepish laugh. “Heh, and I thought the Froggits were jumpy.”

“Sorry, Gerson,” they murmured, slowly sheathing the blade with their magic.

“Hang on… what was that just now?” Undyne demanded, looking down over the elderly turtles shoulder. “That looked like… ghost magic?”

“Uh…” Rex slowly looked up, then stepped back and hunkered down a little.

“Ghost magic?” Gerson questioned, then shook his head. “Actually, we don’t know much about Rex’s magic. They hadn’t been showing any signs they even had magic until last month. It’s Pink magic, and we’ve never heard of that type before. We don’t even know the attribute for it currently. Rex’s the first with this type as far as Humans and Monsters are concerned.”

Undyne frowned, leaning against the doorframe.

“Pink magic? I don’t… Oh right, Alphys said something about that this morning… your magic is color coded right? And there’s different abilities for different types?” She gave the child a sympathetic glance. “And you got stuck with pink of all things. Still, I guess it’s not too bad if it lets you grab stuff, our Kid could use something like that.” She grinned suddenly.

“Though It’s awesome to see we have similar ideas on how doors should be opened!” 

“Y--yo, I’m just glad I have magic,” the reptile managed, straightening when they didn’t feel a threat anymore, before tilting their head in confusion. “...and what way do you open doors?”

Gerson glared up at the fish woman. “You break it, you buy it, Urchin,” he warned.

“Depends on how much of a hurry I’m in. Feet or head all the way!” Undyne crowed, pumping her fist in the air. “I mean, who bothers with doorknobs anyway?”

“Ahem,” the turtle called up as he folded his arms, tapping a foot. “They were invented for a reason. Please leave everything intact.”

Rex couldn’t help a smile. “Was our Undyne like that?”

“Oh, do I have stories for you about that Urchin!” Gerson suddenly smirked. “I remember when she was seven and she thought she could--”

“Uhh-- Anyway!” Undyne interrupted hastily. “That looked like a decent knife there, do you actually know how to use that thing?”

Rex nodded. “Gerson’s been teaching me stuff. I usually have it in my mouth, but I’ve been learning to use it with my magic...not a whole lot yet.”

The turtle gave a sound of agreement. “Kid asked me to start training them some time back when they were attacked along with Frisk. They managed to hold their own, and I thought--the more the merrier when it comes to protecting the Neck Warmer, so, we started training. Sadly, haven’t done much in the past month, so Rex hasn’t been able to try anything with their magic yet.”

“What, getting too old for this?” The fish-woman teased, a grin spreading across her face. “I can always give the punk some pointers if you need an extra nap, old man.”

“Were you drained of magic, Urchin?” the turtle asked, but shook his head. “I’m not above letting the kid learn a few more things if I’m not fit to teach currently,” he said. The reptile went wide-eyed as they realized what the two were suggesting.

Undyne’s eye focused on Rex. 

“Ya hear that, punk? You’re not getting out of this one! Let’s see what you’ve got!”

The young monster stared, dumbstruck, while Gerson snickered. “Come now, don’t break on me,” he said as his little Frisk ran over to him with a smile. “I’ll keep an eye on them, you actually get some training in,” the turtle winked. “According to the world, you’re their sword and shield, better live up to it.”

“Right!” Rex managed, shaking their head hard, before looking up again, their claws digging into the soft ground. 

“Sword and shield, huh? Sounds like you’re a bit more of a fighter than our Kid,” the warrior noted, striding past the younger Frisk and into the yard. “Hey, Frisk, you’re gonna want to move your ass out of the way, unless you want another close up of one of these!” As she spoke, a spear materialized in her hand.

The teen’s eyes widened and he quickly scrambled to his feet from where he had been seated in the corridor. His gaze darted between the warrior and Rex.

“Hey… just make sure you don’t kill them alright?”

“I’ve been training warriors since long before you were born, punk. I know how to watch people’s limits. Now are you getting out of here, or are you gonna join in?”

“Good luck!” The elder Frisk called to Rex before darting away, heading in the direction of Hotlands.

Rex blinked, and then hopped back, drawing out their blade, the dagger hovering in front of them as they dipped their head down slightly, watching the fish warrior. It was one thing to be trained by their Undyne through Frisk...and then to train with her face to face. They weren’t quite sure what to expect. 

“So, going with the dagger, huh? If you want this to be up close and personal…” 

Without any other warning, Undyne leapt forwards, her spear aiming for Rex’s side.

Rex leapt away, landing a moment later, but without waiting a moment, they were on the move again, smiling a little. They knew one thing at least, and that was not to be a sitting duck while Undyne was able to throw things. They wished they had been in the Ruin’s garden though, as at least that yard had a tree to use for cover. They looked at Undyne, quickly realizing that being on her left side would be to their advantage. 

“Not so fast!” The warrior grinned, clenching her free hand into a fist. Instantly, Kid’s body was covered in a green aura, freezing him in place. “You might want to consider upgrading from that toothpick,” she called, getting within reach again and thrusting her weapon at the child. “Unlike Chara’s knives, that thing doesn’t have any reach!” 

Rex’s eyes widened, before they shut tight, as they tried to summon the magic shield they had before. They opened their eyes, just as it formed.

The spear shattered the barrier on impact, though the unexpected resistance slowed the attack and deflected it slightly so the point barely scraped Rex’s side. The fish-warrior grunted, pulling the spear back and lashing out at Rex’s legs with the pole end.

“Eyes on your opponent! You’ve got two of them, make them count!”

The child hit the ground, summoning another shield as they swiftly fought to get back on their feet, their dagger hovering as they looked for an opening. Rooted to one spot was not good, but until they could move again, they had to stay on the defensive. Their side complained, but they ignored it. 

As soon as they were back on their feet, Undyne hurled her spear at him and charged forward, swinging a fist at his midriff, moving just quickly enough that she would be in striking distance right after the spear impacted.

This time, Rex had their blade ready to use, no longer caught off guard by Undyne’s soul effect, though they tried to move as much as they could as they swung it in defense, their eyes narrowed in concentration. If the effect would wear off, they could get out of this already!

Gerson leaned against the house, arms folded as he watched the kid fight, taking note of what needed to get worked on, and what the kid had gotten better at.

Undyne’s spear shattered the shield once again, though this time, it too dissipated on impact. Her eye gleamed, the grin never leaving her face as she sank her fist into the reptile’s stomach.

Frisk made a sound of alarm, though Gerson stopped them from doing anything as Rex cried out, tumbling across the ground and against the wall, however, when they looked up, there seemed to be a fire lit in their eyes as their dagger swung into the air and they managed to get to their feet, breathing heavily, but keeping their gaze locked on the fish woman as they struggled with the soul lock. They just--needed to hold on--a few more moments!

Seeing the child’s gaze, Undyne’s grin widened, almost impossibly. Then she gestured with her other hand, the aura around Kid dissipating with the motion. 

“That’s what I like to see! Now come on, hit me like you mean it!”

Rex hopped back and wagged their tail a little, their dagger moving in a beckoning motion, almost like a playful taunt. So long as she didn’t use that soul trap again, this might actually work.

“What’re you waiting for?” Undyne called impatiently after a moment. “Don’t wimp out on me now, this is just getting started!”

They swayed their body, as if in thought, before lunging forward in rapid speed, but just before they came into reach, they crouched, as if to jump, and everything seemed to distort around Undyne before she found herself a few feet away from where she had been. She blinked in confusion before something crashed down on her shoulders.

The child’s weight was negligible, Undyne could lift a car if she really wanted to. That was not the problem however. Her spear faded out of existence and she shuddered, then fell to her knees, vomiting onto the ground in front of them.

Rex yelped in alarm, quickly getting off her. “Yo--Undyne!”

Seeing the issue, both the turtle and Frisk rushed forth, while the reptile stared in shock, caught off guard by what was happening. 

The fish warrior’s shoulders heaved one more time and she looked up, panting slightly.

“What are you… looking at?” She demanded, struggling to her feet. “I’m fine!” She glared at Kid. “When I say, “Hit me like you mean it,” That means hit me! Not… whatever the hell that just was!”

“I was...going to but…” They hadn’t been sure what had just happened, and was now a little nervous over it. They had intended to strike--but it seemed that move was still unpredictable in more ways than one. It was not their intention to land on top of her.

Undyne narrowed her eye at him for a moment, regaining her composure. 

“You have a teleportation power, kinda like Sans.” She said after a moment. “I’m not sure what you were trying to do with that, But if you have that kind of power, then you’d better remember this. If the old man hasn’t beaten it into you already.” She took a step forward, her face serious.

“Don’t _ever_ attack someone from behind. Take them by surprise, or prepare yourself for an attack, I don’t care. But if you’re going to hit someone, then they’d better be facing you when your blow lands. Otherwise, you’re no better than a common thug. Got it?”

The reptile nodded very slowly, head lowered, but gaze up. “Sorry,” they mumbled. “I wasn’t trying to land on top of you..”

Undyne looked at him for a moment before grinning and slapping the reptile on the back.

“Well, with that taken care of, are you gonna hit me or what?”

Rex gave a grunt and then looked to Gerson, who smirked. “So long as you don’t skydive onto her again--or use that move--I think we’re good. When I’m better, you can try it on me instead.” Frisk started to move forward, but Gerson grabbed them, yanking them onto his shoulders. “No interference, Neck Warmer, you’re too good at breaking them.” 

Undyne took a couple steps back, turning her head to spit before re-summoning her spear and readying her stance.

“Alright, Rex. Let’s do it properly this time, alright?”

They nodded. “Right.” With that, they drew out their dagger again, staring at it for a moment, an idea coming to them as they swiftly looked up. “Ready,” they assured, shifting their stance slightly. 

“You don’t like making the first move, do you? Fine then, have it your way!” She charged with a battle-cry, her spear extended straight towards Rex’s midriff.

Rex waited for her to draw closer, before they jumped up, lashing out with their dagger, eyes narrowed, a bit more calculating now. I prefer to be a shield… they murmured to themselves. And shields don’t make the first move! As they came down, they spun, their spiked tail whipping in the movement. 

The tip of the reptile’s dagger scored a thin line across her collar, but Undyne did not slow her charge. Though her spear had now passed under him, her body smashed into the much smaller one, even as the tail slammed into her side. There was more force behind the blow that she had been expecting, but still, it was unable to slow or even divert her headlong charge.

Rex gasped as they were sent flying, and instantly summoned another shield as they quickly regained their footing, though they found their new magic was making it much easier to find their balance. Their body complained about the sheer force slamming headlong into them, but the child was stubborn, and refused to go down that easily. Even so, they were starting to tire. Realistically speaking, they would want to find a way to end the fight soon.

“Defending isn’t always an option, kid!” Undyne called, spears forming in the air behind her and pointing at the young Monster. “If you’re fighting someone stronger than you, you have to finish the fight as quick as you can. Besides,” she added, flicking a wrist and letting the spears fly towards him. “Haven’t you ever heard? The best defence… is a good offence!”

Rex darted to the side, jumping and spinning to evade the spears, before jumping against the wall, and using it to propel themselves forward, their blade lashing out as they drew near.

Undyne didn’t attempt to block the hit, instead smacking the butt of her spear against the child’s legs, just hard enough to ensure that he wouldn’t be landing comfortably as she took the blow. 

She grimaced.

“Come on, is that the best you can do?”

They crumpled to their knees, and then shakily jumped back to evade any possible counter attack, and then came forward again. They darted around Undyne’s feet, hoping their quick footwork would help them trip her up. Still, this was Undyne... 

Undyne frowned down at the child, unaffected by their attempt.

“Uhh… What are you doing?”

The reptile spun on a dime, tail whipping for her legs as the dagger swung high, eyes wide, but focused. 

Undyne grunted with the impact, even as her spear lashed out, knocking the young Monster away. She put her hand over the wound, inspecting it for a moment, before grinning.

"Now that’s a decent hit! Too bad it took till now for you to do it but, at least I know you got it in ya.” She opened hand, her spear falling from it, fading away before it hit the ground. “You alright over there punk?”

The reptile’s tail raised in a wave before they yanked their face off the ground, spitting out dirt with a disgusted look, not noticing the bit of red on their chin as they shakily got to their feet. “Fine…” they panted; sheathing their dagger.

The fish warrior strode over to the child.

“Decent work, for a rookie,” she praised. “I hope in a real fight, you attack more often than that though. If you’re gonna be using mostly physical attacks, then you’re really gonna want a better weapon too.

“And remember, jumping around in combat is really cool, but you have to be careful with it. It can’t be your first instinct. When you jump, you’ve committed yourself to a path, there’s not much you can do to stop yourself. If we’d actually been fighting, I coulda skewered you when you jumped at me, and you wouldn’t have been able to do a damn thing about it.”

Rex nodded. “I tend to attack more often--this was just the first chance I got to try my magic attacks, so I wasn’t doing stuff I’d normally do...and…” They dipped their head. “I’ll be more careful with that.” 

Undyne reached down, rubbing the top of the child’s head affectionately.

“Good. You’d better keep yourself alive, I want to see you get to the point where I can spar with you and take the kid gloves off.” She stopped and groaned. “Do not tell Sans I said that.”

“Yo--I know better,” Rex managed, but looked up with a smile, their tail swaying out of barely contained joy. Frisk had to muffle a laugh. They’d burst later. 

Undyne removed her hand and looked over to where the little Frisk sat atop Gerson’s shoulders for a moment, grin widening. 

“Well, what are you waiting for? You gonna go help your sword and shield celebrate or what?”

Frisk jerked their hood down to hide most of their face...but not their smile as they dropped down, adjusting the cloak before rushing over, hugging the reptile with a happy hum. “Frisk--!” They murmured something to the Monster, and turned them silent.

Gerson leaned back against the house, and shook his head with an amused smirk. “And they broke their sword and shield again...I need a better blacksmith apparently.”

“Looks like those two are pretty close.” Undyne smirked, folding her arms in front of her chest, “Not that I’m surprised, they’d have to be if Rex’s got an awesome title like ‘Frisk’s Sword and Shield.’” 

The old turtle chuckled quietly. “And the funny thing is that it was the humans that gave them that title. They’ve gotten pretty close over the years.” His expression softened. “The kid’s good at cheering them up, and while not fully up to the task physically, their heart’s in the right place when it comes to Frisk’s well being. Then again, had it not been for them coming along last month, we may not have made it through.”

“Sounds like there’s a story there,” the warrior said. “You wanna tell it? It’d be good to know what he’s was up to while ours was getting himself into trouble.”

“Well, this one’s a lot shorter than that other one.” He slid down, and patted the spot next to him. “Come on, Urchin. Been awhile since I told you a story.”


	12. It Wasn't an Accident

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following chapter contains mentions of child abuse and attempted suicide. Viewer discretion is advised.

Chara was leaning heavily on her boyfriend by the time they got to Muffet’s parlor. The boy had some trouble keeping his balance, walking, and supporting her at the same time. But he managed, gritting his teeth and not allowing any sign of his own discomfort to show. 

Muffet trudged in, but Grillby managed to persuade her to set him down as they stepped into her home. “Cupcake!” Muffet called. “We have guests, so behave yourself!” She led them into a small dining room. “Have a seat,” she told them. “We’ll worry about food,” she insisted as her pet monster poked into the room, looking curiously over. 

The two guests were both relieved to have the chance to rest, and they quickly seated themselves at the table. 

“Yo, thanks for this,” Kid said, while the robotic girl slumped into her chair beside him. “You guys have all been really nice since we got here…”

Muffet giggled tiredly. “Dear, Grillby had his tavern, and I’ve had my parlor.”

Grillby looked up, flames crackling gently. “Being a host is second nature,” he finished, before using a hand to gently nudge Cupcake away as the thing insisted on leaning against the fire elemental, which wouldn’t had been bad if he wasn’t less than half his usual height currently. 

“Hey, Cupcake…” Chara murmured tiredly by way of greeting. Kid looked at her in concern, opening his mouth to speak but thought better of it, and looked away instead.

The creature looked up, tilting his whole front body oddly, before skittering over, tongue coming out as he panted, and then tried to somehow place his head on Chara’s lap. “Behave yourself,” Muffet warned, then she entered the kitchen, clapping her hands in a rhythm. “Everyone?” she called. “We have a job to do!” 

Grillby leaned in the entryway between the two rooms, watching his wife, and glancing back to his guests. “Would you two like something to drink? I think we have some Spider Cider here.” 

Chara rubbed the Monster’s head absently as she stared at the table, so Kid nodded for the both of them.

“Yes please.”

He dipped his head tiredly. “I’ll be right back,” he assured, vanishing into the kitchen, while Cupcake panted happily at the affection, wiggling his whole body due to the absence of a tail. 

“Chara… you’re worrying me,” Kid said quietly after he left. “You’re not usually like this. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Kid.” She tried to assure him, though her tired voice didn’t do much to make him feel better. “Going through the Rift drained my battery is all. I just need some food and rest.”

Kid made a small concerned sound, but didn’t press the issue, falling silent while watching Chara continue to give affection to the spider-like Monster.

“Here we are…” They looked up to see Grillby coming back with two sealed bottles. He stood on the front of his feet to see over the table, and set the bottles on top of it. “Is there anything else you two need aside from food?” 

“Uh, Chara needs someplace to sleep for a bit…” Kid said, nudging one bottle over to Chara and opening the other with his teeth.

“I just need to recharge my battery a little, I don’t need anything special,” the girl responded, grabbing her own bottle and opening it. 

Kid eyed his drink appreciatively. 

“Yo, It’s been awhile since I had this stuff. Dad goes out and buys it for me every once in awhile, but they were out of it last time he went by.”

Grillby looked up. “You referred to Napstablook as your Dad,” he stated. “Hm. I always thought they’d do a decent job as a parent...if they didn’t hide so often.” Though the last part held gentle amusement in the tone. 

Kid shuffled his feet under the table, looking down.

“Yeah…” he mumbled. “He adopted me a couple months ago but… he’d been taking care of me for a long time before that. Even though I didn’t know about it. Guess it’s different over here, huh?” 

He grabbed the now-open bottle with his teeth and swung his head backwards, swiftly chugging down nearly a quarter of it’s contents before setting it back down on the table, only spilling a few drops in the process.

The fire elemental tilted his head in confusion, but didn’t pry into what had happened. “Napstablook is very kind to both your counterpart and Frisk, and very patient. While different, I think some bits are still the same. I could see them doing something like you described.” 

Cupcake gave a grunt, moving awkwardly in an attempt to place itself closer to Kid, but somehow keep its head in Chara’s lap.

Chara took a quick swig of her drink, the lights in her eyes seeming to brighten slightly as she did so. 

“Hey…” she said quietly, reaching her unoccupied hand over to place it on Kid’s shoulder. 

“I’m… I’m alright,” the boy managed. “I guess I just wasn’t expecting that to be different… haha…” He looked over to the girl. “Do you think…?”

“Do you really want to know?” 

“I… don’t know,” the reptile admitted.

“Then maybe let it go for now, babe,” Chara comforted gently. “There’ll be other opportunities for you to find out if you decide you want to.”

Grillby was only half listening to them as he tried pulling an extra chair over. Cupcake noticed the issue, and with a grunt, left his pampering to help push it. When done, Grillby gently patted his head. “Good job,” he murmured softly to him. “Keep our guests entertained, all right? I’m going to check on Muffet.” 

Chara quickly drained her drink, feeling the replenishing magic wash through her. It still wasn’t as much as she would have liked, but she did feel a little better for it. Her boyfriend was attempting to savor his own beverage, though his style of drinking it was getting in the way of that. He had fallen silent and was now staring at the table, his eyes downcast. 

The robotic girl scooted her chair over so she was right beside the boy, then reached out an arm and put it around his shoulders, reaching up with a thumb to gently stroke the small scales lining his jaw. Kid didn’t say anything, but leaned a little bit into her, which was the only response she needed.

Half an hour later, Muffet came back tiredly with a plate of doughnuts, croissants, and what seemed to be a pie, while Grillby came in with hamburgers and fries. “Sorry for lack of options--we hadn’t intended to be here long,” the spider murmured. “The pie has cherries and almonds,” she added clasping four of her hands together as she glanced to the robot. 

“Yo…” Kid breathed, eyes widening at the spread. While Chara looked up, stifling a yawn. “You guys made all this already? You’re eating then too, right?”

“We had help from my little spiders,” Muffet assured, sitting tiredly down, while Grillby climbed into the seat next to her, kneeling so that he could actually see above the table. “But is there anything else you might need first?” she asked, her habits as a hostess showing through.

“This is already more than enough,” Chara assured quietly, reaching for a burger and passing it to Kid. “Thank you.”

The spider monster relaxed, and the fire elemental seemed to smile. “Very well,” he murmured, reaching for his own food, though instead of eating as most Monsters did, Grillby set the food on fire as he brought it up to his ‘mouth’. Then, he absorbed the new flames into him, making them indistinguishable from his own. 

They ate for a few moments in silence, before Chara spoke up.

“Muffet… you seemed more surprised than anyone when I told you I was Chara. Why?”

Muffet jerked her head up out of her thoughts. “Oh--um…”

Grillby raised his head up, looking up at his flustered wife in slight amusement, and then turned to Chara. “In this world, we’re taking care of your counterpart. Needless to say, we were a bit surprised when the one we didn’t recognize claimed to be Chara. And right now...it’s just good to know that at least you’re safe in your own world.” 

“Did… something happen to her in this one?” Kid asked in concern, looking up from his food.

Muffet lowered her head, biting her lip, while Grillby nodded quietly. “When we found where Frisk was...Chara and Alma--another little Human soul we were tending to--offered their souls as assistance. When...we were drained, we were no longer able to hold onto them…” His flames snapped quietly. “Their souls were captured. We’re not sure where they are now--however…” He looked up, his flames a little brighter. “I’m certain they’re not gone. They’re worth more to those demons if their souls remain fully intact.” 

Chara looked down, realizing this is what the other Frisk must have meant when they talked about knowing two paths she could have taken. So had that one not…? She didn’t dare ask. 

“Yo, that’s terrible.” Kid spoke, aghast. 

Grillby nodded quietly, flames dimming, before he glanced worriedly to Muffet, and then leaned, taking one of her hands quietly. “Everyone is looking for the group,” he murmured. “It should only be a matter of time with so many determined to tear it down after everything it has done to humans and monsters alike.” 

“You really care about this, huh?” Chara muttered, returning her attention to her food. “And… your version of me must care about you a lot too. I can’t imagine any version of myself offering up their soul easily. Not after…” Her voice trailed off and she bit into a pastry a bit harder than necessary. 

Muffet nodded. “It was Chara’s quick thinking that allowed Alma to save me, but…” She shook her head slowly. “I’m afraid we don’t know too much about her. I learned a lot about Alma because they’d be with me so often, but our Chara…”

“They were hard to figure out,” Grillby stated. “Even when I had their soul, there seemed to be walls around them.”

The spider trembled a little. “...it’s hard to help when they won’t tell us anything.”

“Those walls exist for a reason,” Chara stated. “And assuming they’re like me then…” She lowered her head. “They’re used to being alone.”

“Chara…” Kid murmured, looking over at the robot with concern in his eyes, though he seemed to be hesitant to make a move. The light in his visor dimmed, so his left eye was now more easily visible.

“We’ve taken care of them for nearly four years now,” Grillby said, looking up to the robot. “While I understand they’ve been alone for years...how can we allow them to understand that they don’t need to be alone anymore?” His flames crackled quietly, though his eyes dimmed in the flames. 

Chara took a slow bite, thinking for a moment. She was both physically and mentally exhausted, even with the energy from the food replenishing her. But…

At least one version of herself had caused much sorrow and destruction in this world. The least she could do… was try to help those left behind.

“I can’t promise anything,” she said finally. “But assuming that your Chara is like me in the ways I think they are, maybe I can help you understand them better.” She looked up. 

“What do you want to know?”

The two looked to each other, with Muffet a little surprised that Chara had agreed to talk about that. “Where should we start?” she asked Grillby.

“I suppose we start simple…” He looked to Chara, his flames moving slowly. “We only know their name, and that they had been the first fallen...while our Queen and King supplied some information about their time before...we don’t know much else, but at this point, anything could be helpful.” 

Chara was quiet for a moment.

“I fell into the Underground a long time ago,” she began. “I thought the fall would kill me, but it didn’t. Instead, I met my first Monster… Asriel.” Her voice quivered slightly as she said his name. “I remember seeing him for the first time… I thought I had died and was seeing an angel coming to take me away. It took him a while to convince me that I was still alive.”

Muffet clasped two hands over her mouth as the words registered, before she slowly lowered them. “Y--you thought…”

“Easy, Muffet,” Grillby soothed, before looking up again. 

“He brought me home,” Chara continued. “Helped heal my wounds, made sure I ate… I was confused. Terrified. For a long time, I was basically Asriel’s shadow, hiding from everything else. But he... Calmed me. He was always there for me. No matter what.”

Muffet took a moment, and then looked up to speak. “I’ve noticed our Chara tends to shadow one of us around the home. I initially thought it was out of curiosity about what we were doing...but I suppose there was more to it.”

Grillby reflected back to earlier memories, with Chara and the flower shouting at one another. He had pieced that together in silence, never uttering the flower’s secret. “I...know they held a great fondness for the Prince...and now I’m beginning to see why.”

“He was my brother,” Chara stated simply. “The first real family I ever had. It was… so strange. He cared about me. Asgore and Toriel… cared about me. They were Monsters, and they had more reason to hate me than anyone else, but instead, they treated me like I was a part of their family. I never… never knew what that was like before.”

The two glanced to each other in concern before the spider Monster glanced back, pausing, thinking over her words as she clasped her free hands together. “Do…” She changed her wording. “Would some of our answers lie in what happened before they fell into the Underground?”

The mechanical girl let out a brief, humorless laugh. 

“I suppose so.” She lowered her hands beneath the table and out of sight, clenching them tightly while allowing her face to fall into a calm mask. 

“I had parents, but I never had a family.” Her voice had changed, becoming dispassionate and detached. “They were both important people in the village. I don’t remember what they did, but it doesn’t matter. The few times I remember seeing them at home, they were always yelling, either at me, or at each other. No matter what I did, it wasn’t good enough.”

She paused for a moment, collecting her memories.

“It got worse a couple years before I went up Mt. Ebott. The woman started drinking a lot, and she’d hit me. Sometimes with her fists, sometimes with a stick… once with the flat of the sword that hung on our wall. I tried to tell the man about it, but he wouldn’t listen. Said I was covering up for being clumsy, and if I said anything about it again he’d give me something to cry about.

“No one believed me when I tried to talk to them. If they did, they said I must have been a bad girl, and it was my fault, and I should be grateful to have the parents I did. I tried running away, but they would send dogs out to find me. They would always catch me, and it would get worse afterwards.”

She clenched her fists tight enough that her knuckles would have whitened had she still been flesh-and-blood.

“The last time I ran, I went up the mountain, hoping that they wouldn’t follow me up there. And then I found the hole.” She lowered her head, her next words coming out in a whisper.

“It wasn’t an accident that I fell down there.”

Somehow, Grillby’s flames practically went still, while Muffet covered her face with her upper hands to muffle a choked sob. Grillby tightened his grasp on her hand, while his other went over his face, the flames dimming drastically to the point that the room appeared to be darker for a few moments. “Good gods…” Grillby uttered softly. 

“Explains a lot of things, doesn’t it?” Chara said softly, her gaze flicking to the shell-shocked Kid who was staring blankly at her for a moment before returning to the couple. “Looking back… if it hadn’t been for Asriel’s constant reassurance, support and friendship, I might never have recovered from that.”

Grillby breathed out slowly, before quietly looking up, his flames remaining dimmed. “That...explains plenty…” he said quietly as Cupcake skittered under the table to get to Muffet, whining quietly as he tried to lay his head in her lap. 

Muffet grabbed him with her lower set of arms, while Grillby looked quietly to her. “...it’ll be alright, Dear. When we get them back, we’ll do what we can.”

“I just want them back now,” she managed, her voice tight. 

“Just be careful about bringing this kind of thing up with them.” Chara warned. “I know I’d be suspicious and defensive about it… especially if I’d been deliberately keeping it hidden.”

Grillby nodded slowly. “I’ve learned a bit in that department.”

Muffet looked over with a slightly forced smile. “You’ll say just enough to get the conversation rolling, and then just sit back and listen.”

He shrugged. “Sometimes just talking it out can do quite a bit. Though I will heed that warning. If I bring it up directly, I’ll tread carefully with my words.” Though it was clear that the fire elemental would give it quite some thought. 

Chara leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

“Anything else you need to know?” she asked quietly, feeling better for having eaten, though she really didn’t want to move from this spot. Especially since Kid was probably going to want some words with her later… maybe she shouldn’t have said anything while he was around.

“I...think that’ll be enough for the time being. Perhaps later if we feel the need, we’ll need a bit to think over that,” Grillby stated softly.

“Alright.” Chara mumbled, letting her arms fall limply to her sides. She’d stay here for just a few more moments, and then find herself a place to recharge properly. She just needed to rest for a few minutes first…

 

Mettaton gave a sound of alarm as the machine he was trying to disassemble decided to dump oil on his face. He jerked, banging his thankfully metallic head on it, before fumbling. A low pitch frequency emitted from his chest as he felt around, before finding a towel and rubbing most of it off his face. “I hate when that happens,” he grumbled as he cleared his vision, and then cringed as he ran a hand through his hair. 

“A-are you alright, Mettaton?” Alphys asked, looking up from the cluttered table full of various parts from different machines that she was currently trying to jury-rig into what she needed to finish the necessary upgrades to Undyne’s recycler. 

“I’ll be fine, Alphys,” he managed, not noticing a stray smudge on his cheek as he came over with a part he had salvaged from the machine. “This happens often...is this what you need?” he asked, holding out the part to her. 

The yellow reptile didn’t look convinced, but she accepted the offering, adjusting her glasses as she peered at it. 

“Yeah! This is… exactly what I needed. I sh-should be able to use this to calibrate the particle stabilizer so that it properly conjoins with the rest of the recycler to the specifications that Sans gave us.”

She looked at the stack of paper that the skeleton had dropped off not long before she and Mettaton had returned to the lab and sighed. 

“I w-wonder if his shortcuts use similar rules to the rift,” she mused, mostly to herself. “Maybe that’s part of why he’s picked up on all of this so fast…”

The robot was silent and still for a few moments as data flew through him in an attempt to keep up with everything she was saying, before his eyes focused again. “I wouldn’t be surprised. That ability always seemed to be separate from any magic we know.”

Alphys nodded, returning to her work, her claws moving in a blur as she disassembled and reassembled the various pieces lying about the table.

“We found out r-recently that um, part of his power stems from his role as Judge… but I think that’s more of a power boost than anything else. All of his powers seem to be his own.” She gave a little shrug. “We’ don’t have the same… uh, coding? For magic that you seem to do, but I’ve never heard of anyone else with his kind of abilities…” She frowned, slowing slightly. “At least… I don’t think so?”

“For us, it’s just Sans--and for the time being, Frisk…” Mettaton paused, searching through his memory when she mentioned that. “If there was someone else, they’d be fairly hard to get.”

Alphys gave a nervous chuckle. 

“Y-yeah, kind of hard to catch someone who can move from one side of the world to the next in an instant, isn’t it?”

Mettaton nodding, sliding a tool back on the table as it teetered near the edge. “You know, our Sans let Frisk use that ability to sneak out sometimes…” he murmured, then a quiet laugh escaped him. “Got so bad that I had to sneak trackers onto the little Darling.”

“Do they sneak out often?” Alphys questioned, inspecting a jury-rigged tool, vaguely shaped like an over-sized banana and giving a disapproving grunt, disassembling it and starting again.

“Depends on how their day went. If it’s been a long one, they slip out to be alone--or with Rex,” Mettaton said, his eyes focused on what she was doing. “They tend to go to the same place in Waterfall at least, so tracking them down usually isn’t too difficult...though Gerson doesn’t appreciate the heart attacks.”

“I guess not...” Alphys replied absently. She sent a few jolts of electricity from her fingertips and into the device currently half-assembled in her hands, frowning as it popped and spat in response. 

“Could you hand me the chainsaw please?”

Mettaton glanced to the side and then picked it up, carefully handing her the safe side of it. “Here you are,” he murmured, watching Alphys quietly, but not adding much else in conversation. Now was the time to be working, and if she was up to talking, then so be it, but for now, this was taking priority. 

“Now is this one…?” Alphys muttered, fiddling with a hatch on the side of the motor. She opened it, and tapped at the buttons inside. In a moment, the teeth of the blade retracted, replaced by a shimmering blue glow. 

“Ah-ha!” 

She revved up the chainsaw, paying no heed to the near-deafening noise that now permeated the room and brought it down on her device, making several precise cuts before turning it off and setting it aside with a grin. 

“Well, I know that look,” Mettaton murmured in slight amusement. “Going to fill me in?” he lightly teased. Mettaton had simply muted the world out until he noted that the machine had finally been turned off. One of the advantages to having a robotic body

“Because of how the recycler is.. I can’t turn it off or anything to make the changes.” She explained. “So, if it needs improving, The new parts need to be put in very specific places for it to work. Plus, this saw works as a… energizer of sorts? Provided I put this together properly, each piece should now be able to function in a cohesive unit once we get the rest of the materials added in.”

She glanced over at the tool.

“I could have designed a more precise tool but…” the lizard shrugged helplessly. “It was Undyne’s idea.”

“At least we’re getting somewhere,” Mettaton murmured as he surveyed the tool, scanning it. “I’m just glad we’re finding everything in spare parts in the lab.” He did not want to rummage through garbage if he didn’t have to. 

Alphys began separating the metal pieces that she had sliced into their own separate areas of the table, clearing unnecessary parts. 

“You know…” she began hesitantly, chewing her lip. “This is.. kind of nice? I mean-” She continued quickly. “Back home, I’ve got a team of Humans and some Monsters working on science stuff with me but... I guess I? Never thought? That I’d be doing science stuff with ummm… you?”

Mettaton smiled. “Guess that’s an odd image--honestly, you asked me about this kind of thing back when the barrier broke, I would never of thought it myself.” He took the unnecessary parts from her, placing them in an empty box to save for possible use later. “And, I usually work solo--aside with my cousin helping me, and Felix aiding me when we try to improve on my form, so it’s nice to work with someone who knows things in the field--and you of all Monsters. I just wished you caught us at a better time.” 

“Yeah… it sounds like you’ve all been going through a rough patch… I kinda wish this had happened a couple months ago… maybe we would have been able to help stop this from happening in the first place…”

“Well, some slight good came out of it at least,” Mettaton murmured. “We found out there was even an organization--and Rex learned their magic when they were there. Though those were the only ups--but better than none.” 

“Hopefully things will settle down for you all soon,” Alphys mumbled, fiddling with her hands nervously for a moment before grabbing a long, thin metal tube and examining it carefully. “I’m sorry that we had to come and complicate things…”

“Honestly, you really can’t complicate matters any more than they already are,” Mettaton said with some amusement. “And at least I can scan some more advanced tech--and well…” He smiled, but didn’t further the response. “It’s not bad at all, just a surprise.”

Alphys looked hesitantly up at him.

“Y-you sure?”

“Hmm...my readings are currently stating one hundred percent accuracy to that statement.” He leaned down to her eye level. “I’m sure.”

Alphys gave a relieved grin.

“Right! Okay! Let’s uh… let’s get back to work… I’d like to get all the parts ready before we bring Undyne down… I’m going to have to do something to keep her out of the lab at home too at this rate…”

Mettaton smirked. “...threaten her with paperwork?”


	13. The Great Papyrus

“Paperwork,” Dogamy grumbled, setting down a large pile at a desk. Once he had become Captain of the Guard, the canine had started to use one of his parent’s homes as a makeshift office. The Amalgamate didn’t need two or three homes, so after speaking with them, one was used for storage and other for things related to his new position.

Then he looked to the skeleton as his ears twitched. “Well, they should be here in a minute. Are you ready?”

The room was simple and spacious, formerly a living room, but now a desk and bookshelves were lodged in one corner and a minefield of toys covering the rest of it.

“The great Papyrus is always prepared for anything!” The skeleton stated confidently. “Fret not Dogamy! Both your paperwork and your pups are in the most capable of hands!”

“Then I best go out to talk to my wife before she sees you,” Dogamy murmured, going to the door, only to jump back with a yelp as a flurry of white puppies--five in total--all raced in, tackling him to the ground. 

“Daddy!” they chorused. 

There was laughter from outside. “Dogamy, are you alright!?” Dogamy raised a paw above the pile and waved to assure her. There was another sound of soft amusement. “Don’t break anything--oh--I have to go!”

“Bye Mommy!”

“Everyone off--you’re getting too big for this.”

They whined, but complied, and Dogamy got up, before shutting the door, panting, while the pups finally noticed the other Monster. They gasped, eyes wide. “What’s that?” They looked to their father. “Who’s that?”

Dogamy gave a tired chuckle. “That would be Papyrus. He’s a skeleton Monster.” Then he turned to the skeleton. “These are my pups,” he said as they made a somewhat messy line. “My daughters Canis, and Dogtanian, and my sons Lupus, Beowulf, and Dogmatix.”

“Hello, small puppies!” Papyrus greeted, crouching so that he was at eye level with the miniature Monsters, giving each one a wide smile and a wave. “I, the great Papyrus, am very happy to meet you all!”

The little ones looked at each other and then the bolder ones stepped forth, while two lingered behind. The other three approached, sniffing curiously, while Dogamy smiled in amusement, and headed over to the desk.

Papyrus extended his arms, holding out his hands so that the pups could have a chance to inspect him. 

“Do you like bones?” He asked conversationally, calling a few of them to dance and swirl just behind him, maintaining his wide smile as he did so.

One pup had grabbed onto his arm, sniffing curiously, before all five jerked their heads up to the movement, making sounds of awe, tails wagging. “Frisk magic!” With that, even the timid ones raced forth. 

The tall skeleton blinked. 

“Er, no, Papyrus magic. See?” He called more around him, twirling them around himself and allowing a few of them to dance tantalizingly close to the little ones. 

The pups comically moved around, ducking heads and then swatting at a few when they came close, entranced by the magic, their little tails wagging happily. Dogamy smiled, and set to work. At least things might be kept to a dull roar. 

“Dogamy!” Papyrus called behind him, standing and fusing three bones together and using them to scoop up Beowulf from behind, raising the child up so he hovered just above the ground. “Do you require assistance over there? I can keep this up and do paperwork simultaneously if you wish it!”

“I’ll see if I can manage--but if I start to get overwhelmed, I may ask for assistance--hopefully by then, you’ll have tired them all out,” he said, chuckling as two of them latched onto Papyrus’s legs, while Beowulf sniffed at this platform, before relaxing with a little smile. 

The skeleton leaned down, scratching the two who had attached themselves to him behind the ears, then raised a hand, letting his small platform raise and begin flying slowly about the room, though he kept it well away from where the elder dog Monster was working. 

He allowed some of the bones that were still dancing about to float near the platform, while the others kept the other children occupied. Fortunately, because he could sustain an incredible amount of bones at once, he had no problems keeping up his task as entertainer.

The petting had the two pups by his legs melt into putty for a little bit. The two timid ones that had hung back the most finally came in arm’s reach, glancing at their content siblings, and then tilting their heads up to look at him. One was a little more confident, sliding forward, before attempting to jump on him. 

“And just where do you think you’re going?” Papyrus asked, catching the little one in mid-air and lifting her up to eye-level.

Dogtanian gasped, and on instinct, tucked her limbs in, as a pup would do when being carried by their scruff. “...higher?” was the sheepish reply.

“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” Papyrus brought the child over and placed her on his shoulder. “There! Now you can look at the world from a Papyrus-eye view! Nyeh-heh-heh!”

The pup gasped, tiny, and thankfully harmless claws sliding on his attire as they searched for traction, before she relaxed, and then giggled. Behind him though, something gently tugged on his scarf. 

“Hmm? What’s that?” Papyrus asked, craning his neck around to look behind him.

There, looking quietly up at him, was the final pup, the other little girl, Canis. She didn’t say anything at first, just quietly looking at him, the tail of his scarf held tight in her paw.

Papyrus gave a friendly wave, then crouched back down so the little one didn’t have to crane her neck to look at him. 

“What is it, pup?” He asked curiously. “Would you like something?”

The puppy dipped her head, but only mumbled quietly, shuffling her feet from side to side. 

The skeleton cupped his hand next to one of his ear holes, tilting his head towards the child. 

“I’m afraid you must repeat that! Even the great Papyrus cannot hear everything!”

The child paused, as if to think, and then raised both her hands, but still refused to relinquish the scarf. “Up?” she asked simply. 

“Up? Now this is a request Papyrus can manage!” The skeleton quickly scooped up the girl, standing and holding her in his arms. “You should really speak up more often! You have a very nice voice!”

She dipped her head shyly, and then cuddled into him, still grasping the tail of his scarf, making a hum of happy content. Dogamy glanced up, and smiled a little, before going back to work. 

Papyrus gently stroked her head, pulling the scarf down a little so that he could wrap part of it around the pup. If one looked at him at this moment, surrounded by the puppies and dancing bones, they would have said that his face was all but literally glowing with happiness. 

Canis gasped happily, hugging the scarf as she snuggled into his hold, resting her head against him as her eyes already began to droop. It seemed evident she was the first to tire in the litter--or was just content with her spot. The one on his shoulders was looking around excitedly, tail wagging, her paws slipping off his skull from time to time, obscuring his vision for brief moments. 

“Er, Dogtanian, right? Please do not cover the skeleton’s eyes, I need those to see things!”

“Sorry,” the child managed. “Paws keep slipping!” Her little claws were about as soft as butter--and just as slippery, so her grasp constantly slipped while she tried to figure out how to hold onto him.

Papyrus gave a thoughtful hum for a moment, then brightened. 

“Never fear small one!” He called two of his thinner bones back to him, and positioned them on either side of the puppy, mentally locking them into place to give her easy access to pawholds. 

“There! The great Papyrus saves the day once again!”

Dogtanian gave a happy little bark, and relaxed. Meanwhile, it looked like Canis had already fallen asleep. 

 

Lupus stumbled around on all fours, yawning, and trying to stay awake, before sitting down with another large yawn. Slowly, he toppled over, his eyes sliding closed. His brother Beowulf was the last one, the others having fallen asleep a while back. He stumbled about, tripped over his brother, and was asleep before he hit the floor.

Dogamy chuckled softly as he rose, picking up the two boys and moving them over to what looked like a slightly oversized dog bed. Over here, the pups used that for naps, but back at home, they had regular beds for sleep. “They certainly took to you rather well…” He glanced to Papyrus, who had Dogmatix asleep while still clinging to his leg, and Dogtanian was nearly drooling on his skull.

However, his gaze went to Canis. “Even her, and she usually takes a while to warm up to anyone.” His eyes held fondness as he looked to the slumbering pup.

“Of course! None is more lovable and cuddly than Papyrus!” The skeleton enthused, though his voice had dropped to a near whisper so as not to disturb the sleeping little ones. “No one can resist the charm of a smiling skeleton!”

“Possibly not,” Dogamy said as he took Dogmatix and Dogtanian off Papyrus, and then set them down with their other siblings. Then he looked to Canis. “She might be the smallest of the litter, but she’s got quite an iron grip when she wants to hold onto something.” And right now, that something was Papyrus’s scarf. 

Papyrus looked down at the slumbering child, his expression soft. Then, he unwrapped the scarf from about his neck and wrapped the rest of it around the pup, placing her next to her kin.

“There, little Canis. Now the great Papyrus can stay close to you even while you nap! I will need that back later but… you can borrow it for now.” He patted her head gently, then rose and turned towards Dogamy.

Dogamy grinned quietly, and then dipped his head. “Thank you for spending time with them,” he said. “I wouldn’t have made any progress had I just been on my own here,” he murmured in slight amusement. “They can be overwhelming at times.” 

The skeleton waved his hand dismissively.

“Not to worry Dogamy, you have excellent pups! I will admit that it’s been longer than I’d like since the last time I got to be a cool friend for little ones, and I thank you for the opportunity!”

“It sounds like you’ll have the chance soon, if what I heard is correct,” Dogamy said as he strode back over to his desk. 

“Erm… have the chance for what?” Papyrus asked, following the dog Monster.

“Well if there are little children running around on your side, like this Alexander I’ve been hearing about, you’ll probably get the chance to be a ‘cool friend’ to him.” Dogamy sat down, rustling through some papers, skimming over the lines.

“I suppose so! Though I haven’t gotten much chances to see him since I’ve been working so much. Hmm… perhaps I should take Asgore’s advice and hire another bartender… at least until Alexander is old enough to come visit me, anyway.”

Dogamy turned. “You run a business?” he asked in surprise. 

The skeleton nodded.

“I do! I own a pub in the city, The Great Papyrus! It has, of course, been very successful, and I have many friends that visit there every day!”

Dogamy chuckled. “The name sounds about right,” he said, scribbling something down and moving another paper away. “It sounds like you enjoy it.” 

“Of course! I get to meet many new friends and help them with their problems!” The skeleton seated himself next to Dogamy and glanced over the paperwork.

“Wowie, that looks exactly the same as the stuff that Undyne used to get 01 and 02 to work on! I didn’t realize that the Captain of the guard was supposed to handle the paperwork too!”

Dogamy gave a snort. “The Captain is supposed to do the paperwork, Undyne was...never one for such things, however. I don’t have the original 01 and 02 to rely on, and our current ones are busy with their duties.” Then, he shrugged. “It’s not so bad usually, I’ve just fallen behind due to the magic draining.”

“Yes, I suppose that would make it more difficult,” Papyrus muttered, grabbing a couple pieces of paper and scanning them, his skull creased in a concentrated expression.

“Aha!” he said at last. “It becomes clear to me! I understand now! Now I know that...” He looked up to the Monster beside him. “I have no idea what I’m looking at.”

Dogamy slowly looked over. “That, my friend…” The dog dipped his head sheepishly. “Would be the pups’ homework...the...desk is a little messy since I’ve fallen behind.” 

“Oh. I suppose that would explain the stains.” The skeleton affirmed, giving the paper a critical eye. “And why there’s a period after every other word. Hmm… It would appear that English is not Dogmatix’s strongest subject…”

“Unfortunately, no...but that’s not as bad as Dogtanian’s math papers…” Dogamy murmured, looking even more sheepish now. 

“Perhaps Chara can lend a hand! She’s always been very good at maths, and she’s always helping Frisk with his!” He frowned. “Well, sometimes she helps. And sometimes she laughs at him and walks away. But still!”

“I would certainly appreciate it.” Dogamy shook his head. “I wish pups didn’t grow so fast though. Four years, and I’m already dealing with homework.”

“Aha! But that also means that it’s quicker until they’re old enough to not need to do homework anymore! Like me! And then, you can have more puppies!”

“...my wife and I will have to think about that quite a bit,” Dogamy murmured. “Between those five...I do not want to think about twenty some grandchildren plus the younger litter.” There was some amusement in his tone. “...I’m not sure if the Kingdom can handle that many either.” 

“Nyeh heh. Dogaressa told me the same thing a few weeks ago, when her Unit stopped by my bar. She brings the puppies by every once in awhile when her team leaves the city…. Fortunately, Sans suggested I hire a Woshua to help clean up after the first time. Now I always keep the bottles on the highest shelf!”

“Always keep things on the highest shelf,” Dogamy stated firmly. “And then you might be able to keep it away from pups...but don’t underestimate their ability to get into trouble.” 

“Fortunately, the great Papyrus can always keep children entertained! It was no trouble at all for me to distract them with puzzles and my bones. And last time they visited, Trouble only spent twenty minutes gnawing on my leg! I was very impressed!”

Dogamy tilted his head. “Trouble…?” 

“He’s one of the boys of the litter.” Papyrus explained, combing through the stacks of paper and removing the homework and non-guard related papers, of which there were several. “Then Garav, and Mischief, the only girl.” The skeleton chuckled. “At least they live up to their names!”

“Trouble and Mischief?” Dogamy shook his head. “I cannot let my wife know about that,” he grinned. “Sounds like they can cause quite a ruckus, even if there’s only three.”

“Why not?” the skeleton questioned. “She named them… err… our Dogaressa named them…” He rubbed at his skull. “This is all still very confusing. Fortunately, we have paperwork to ease the strangeness!” 

He paused, pulling out another piece of paper.

“And a… shopping list?”

“It’s...been a busy month.”

The two sat in silence for a time, the stack of paperwork growing noticeably smaller, even as the pile of other random papers grew at a fairly alarming rate. At last Papyrus hesitated, staring at at the document he was holding.

“Err, Dogamy? This one has a weird symbol on it, and it looks like it’s talking about…” He squinted. “A Human outpost and something to do with Reaper’s Harvest?”

Dogamy jerked, and then reached for it, taking it. “I nearly forgot Michael had brought this along…” He opened it, reading it over, a frown coming over his muzzle, steadily worsening, until he clenched the paper tight, eyes narrowed as he trembled slightly, an instinctive growl softly escaping his throat.

“Are you alright, friend?” Papyrus asked in concern, reaching over and grasping the Monster’s shoulder gently.

Dogamy sighed, closing his eyes a moment, before looking to the skeleton. “I’ll be fine,” he managed. “It just wasn’t the news I was after. It turns out those Humans were doing research on Monsters quite some time before they took our Frisk. They’ve been at it since we became known to the Humans. Our magic draining was just one of the results.”

“I still don’t understand why they would want to drain your magic,” Papyrus replied in confusion. “If they studied Monsters, wouldn’t they know that we are made of magic and need it to survive?”

Dogamy looked over, wondering if he should really say. “They probably would,” was the careful response. “It’s like before. They’re afraid we’d absorb human souls on a whim, and try to harm them.”

“Well then, we should just tell them that we won’t do that! And make them spaghetti! No one can resist spaghetti!”

The canine smiled, despite himself. “This side of the Rift would fare well with a few of you running around.”

“Of course! Any world would benefit from from the great Papyrus’s addition! Maybe I shall have to come and visit after my brother figures everything out with the Rift, it looks like many people in your world could benefit from my warm and cuddly embrace!”

“If the Rift allows for that--I certainly wouldn’t argue,” Dogamy assured. 

“It is settled then! Wowie! Who would have thought that Undyne’s explosion inducing lab help would lead to something positive! She must be losing her touch!”

Dogamy blinked, and then turned away with an amused snort, then letting out a soft laugh. “Don’t let either Undyne hear that--or she’ll go off and prove that she still has it.”

“I suppose she would take that as a challenge,” the skeleton mused. “She takes most things as a challenge… like that one documentary we watched where they explained why it is impossible to break down a brick wall using only your face! It was very educational… although Undyne did end up proving them wrong.”

“Of course she would,” Dogamy murmured. “Who would she be if she couldn’t prove the world wrong?” He chuckled, and then paused. “...I need to keep my pups well away from her when she’s doing things like that.” 

“Not to worry! The great Papyrus will be such a shining example of coolness and moral stability that there will be no room for any other role models! With my guidance, they cannot help but to grow up to become almost half as great as I am!”

Dogamy glanced to the pups, and smiled. “I think I could live that,” he chuckled quietly, before going back to the paperwork as they all snuggled into one another.

 

Sans stood before the multi-colored tear in the air before him, the setting sun lighting up his back as he focused. His stance was relaxed, though he had both hands in the air, blue power crackling from his fingertips and his eye pulsing with power. The edges of the tear glowed with his magic and he slowly moved his hands, manipulating his flow of energy.

_Well done,_ Gaster’s voice echoed in his head, far stronger than it had been in New Home. _Now, you will need to gently release the energy._

The skeleton did as he was bid, slowly notching down his power. It was more difficult than he would have liked. While his brother was good with a middle ground, Sans tended to deal in extremes. Manipulating his power on such a subtle level was strange for him.

Still, he managed, and the blue glow disappeared entirely from the Rift.

“So, you mind telling me what I just did?” Sans asked; casually returning his hands to his pockets.

_You helped to stabilize the tear,_ Gaster replied, and Sans swore he could hear a trace of amusement in his voice, like his father was enjoying stringing him on.

“You’re really bad at answering questions you know.”

_And you’re any better?_

“Touche.” The skeleton trained his gaze on the Rift thoughtfully. “So? Is it fixed now then?”

_In a manner of speaking._

“Would it kill you to be straightforward for once?” the skeleton grumbled, his patience fraying. Today had been fairly taxing, and the last thing he needed was vague answers to important questions.

_Perhaps it did._ His father chuckled, but he relented a few moments later. _It will no longer grow, neither world is in danger from the tear itself. As long as I hold it, it will lead only between these two worlds, and it should be possible to close it. However…_

“I was waiting for that.” Sans sighed. “What’s the catch?”

_The sundering between your worlds is… not something I have the power to fix._ Gaster said quietly. _While we can close the tear and keep people from wandering through it accidentally, I believe that enough magical energy would be enough to re-open it. I cannot fully mend the wound that has been made here._

Sans rubbed a hand across his skull. 

“Huh. That’s… not what I wanted to hear.”

_I am sorry…_

“It’s not your fault. But, if we’re answering questions now, you mind telling me how I can hear you in my head now?”

_Like father like son, came the amused reply._

Sans narrowed his sockets.

“And why didn’t you contact me before?” he asked, his voice calm, though internally he desperately waited for the answer.

Gaster was silent for a long while. When he finally spoke again, there was a tinge of sadness in his voice.

_I did not believe you still remembered me._

The small skeleton did not reply, but hunched over, shoving his hands even deeper into his pockets.

_Sans…_ Gaster’s voice began to crackle, a sound like static interfering with his words. _Cannot…. maintain...too much… must rest before…_

The tingling feeling in his skull faded, leaving the small skeleton alone by the tear. 

“Dad, if you can hear me, and I bet you can,” he said quietly. “I’m gonna get some answers out of you if I have to drag them out. I never knew why you disappeared, or why I was the only one who remembered. I-”

He stopped, then took a couple deep breaths to calm himself. This had really been a long day, and he was gonna need a long sleep in order to be able to properly deal with tomorrow, even if they weren’t going to be here very long. 

“It’s not gonna be that simple though, is it?” he muttered to himself, grasping the familiar energy and teleporting himself just outside the entrance to the Underground. “First sign of trouble, I’m blasting it in the face, no questions asked.”

He rolled his shoulders and wiped the sweat off his brow, then walked inside, his head lowered as he tried to process everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Appearing completely oblivious to his surroundings he made his way towards the throne room.

There was soft humming coming from the room though, as the little Frisk had finally been able to sneak away for some slight alone time, risking being alone so close to the exit, in order to be away from everyone for a bit. The day had been chaotic for the child, and now, they could just spend some time to themselves, and Asgore’s garden. They quietly watered the flowers, but beneath their hood, their ears fins twitched. 

Sans hesitated just outside the room, hearing the quiet humming sound. Even without trying, it was unmistakably this world’s Frisk… no other being he had ever sensed had been in possession of eight souls, weak though seven of them might currently be. 

He looked around the dark hallway for a moment, considering his options. Then he shrugged and stepped inside, resuming his former position with his head lowered and pretending not to notice the child, walking softly through the room in his slippered feet, avoiding stepping on the flowers.

Frisk saw him come in, nervously watching him walk by. They bit their lip, and trailed a few steps after him, reaching out, before hiding their hands away, hesitating. Then, they looked up again and opened their mouth. However, all that came out was a barely audible “...um…”

Sans turned his head towards the child, widening his sockets in feigned surprise. 

“Oh. Didn’t hear you there bud. You must be pretty _Friskin’_ quiet to sneak up on me like that.”

On instinct, they wanted to look down, but resisted, knowing it made their blatant horns all the more obvious. “Um…” They were quiet again, before slowly raising their hand. “Earlier I...didn’t shake your hand,” they murmured, looking away, regretting their choice a moment later. They wanted to yank their hand back, mentally kicking themself for not thinking about wearing the bandages over their hands instead.

This time, the skeleton’s surprise was real, and it flashed in his sockets for a brief moment before hiding away. He looked down at the child before reaching out with his own hand, holding it near the little Frisk’s but not actually coming into contact with their hand, waiting for them to make the first move.

They slowly turned their gaze back, biting their lip, and then shut their eyes, reaching forward, and nervously taking it.

A loud farting noise filled the room for a few long moments before trailing away with a slightly disappointing whine. Sans’s grin seemed to widen impossibly. 

“Whelp, I’m impressed,” he said, removing his hand. “You’ve really got a great _Sans_ of humour you know? That doesn’t really come easy you know, you’ve got to let it grow until it _flowers_ into something special.”

Frisk felt their face go red, and they drew their hood further over their head. They had half expected that--but at the same time--it still caught them off guard with all things considered. Their face twitched at the first pun--but it returned to normal at the second. They were quiet. “...you passed up _humerus_?” they asked, trying to bounce back into it, and ignore their worries and the awkwardness. 

Sans shrugged.

“Well, I can’t let all of my jokes _stem_ from the same place. I was thinking I should probably _branch_ out a little bit.”

“...no longer... _rooted_ to skeleton puns…?” Frisk felt like they were grasping at straws. 

There was a mischievous twinkle in the skeleton’s socket.

“Well, much as I enjoy irritating my brother, he might be right. Maybe I should just keep myself _grounded_ in reality.”

“...I was going to use that one next…” 

Sans laughed. It wasn’t a chuckle, or a snort, but a genuine laugh that echoed through the room. It didn’t last very long, but he looked more relaxed when it ended. 

“Probably for the best, kid.” The skeleton looked back down at the child. “You don’t want to _dirty_ your name.”

The child had a comical look of thought on their face, trying to think up some other word play. There was a long hum of thought. “...But how long can we _leaf_ it be…?”

Sans snickered, then reached out a hand and tousled the hair between the child’s horns affectionately.

“Heh. You’re alright, kiddo. But uh, we should probably stop before this gets out of _can_. You don’t know _water_ getting into.”

A smile finally came to their face. “...we probably should end this... _rain_ of puns before your brother finds out.”

“Yeah, we’ve already got Undyne over here, we don’t need him breaking things too. Though it’s his fault, really. I told him he shouldn’t have used his _funny bone_ for his Special Attack, but he wouldn’t listen.”

They covered their face to muffle some form of a laugh. “...that explains so much.” 

“It really does, doesn’t it?” The skeleton stifled a yawn. He hadn’t realized just how much he needed this, he finally felt relaxed for the first time since he’d had that dream the previous day. 

“Whelp, I should get some rest. Gonna be some work tomorrow, then we should be able to get everything back the way it’s supposed to be. Sort of, anyway.”

Frisk nodded slowly. “...I know you have places to be...I won’t keep you any longer.”

Sans turned to leave, then paused for a moment, turning back. 

“Listen, I know I gave you grief before. But I’m glad I was wrong. You’re doing good, kid. If it was me, I’d have thrown in the towel by now. Stay Determined for me, alright?”

And just like that, he was gone.

Frisk looked up, opening their eyes fully, staring at the place he had been, before a wave of relief flew through them. Stay Determined…? Their expression fell at that. They’d try...but as of late, promises were harder and harder to keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: this was actually the first scene written with the puppies. We wrote this long before they were introduced in Corrupted File, so this is where their names and personalities were all decided.


	14. Making a Fool

The young Frisk slowly lowered their hood, carefully walking through the field of Echo Flowers. It was usually a place they stayed away from, unless some of the plants needed tending to, but with the voices of the others gone, Frisk came here. It was either that, or calling numbers that wouldn’t answer. They tread through the field, until they found a ring of red, rose-like flowers.

Asgore’s Recital Flowers. The child remembered it--the last day before everything truly fell apart. They had came here with the brothers...Alphys and Undyne...Asgore and Toriel. It was a little picnic, and Asgore had revealed the red flowers. They were like Echo Flowers, but they only recorded once.

They sat in the center, closing their eyes, ear fins twitching as they listened to the voices of what had been their family. Even their own softly murmured quiet poem. They clenched their hands tight, listening to all of them. Voices that had been loud and clear that day--and by nightfall two days later, all of them were gone. 

A short distance away, the older Frisk was also walking through the fields, a soft smile on his face. He had forgotten how much he had missed this. Whenever he had come through here when he had been in the Underground the first time, the voices here had given him strength to go on. He had so badly wanted to make all their wishes come true. And eventually… he had succeeded

There were some different conversations now, it made sense, given that in this world, many Monsters remained Underground. It made the teen a little sad, that some of those conversations could so easily be written over. 

As he sloshed through a shallow pool, his foot caught on a stone and he let out a surprised cry, stumbling and only just managing to catch himself before tumbling into the water.

The younger Frisk jumped with a yelp of alarm. Without a second thought they raced to the commotion, already extending a hand to whoever had fallen down.

Their elder counterpart groaned and found a relatively dry spot to sit, taking off his shoe and nursing his aching toe. He looked up as the younger one approached.

“Oh, hey. Didn’t think I’d see you down here.”

They jerked back in surprise, swiftly yanking their hand back, and pulling their hood up as far as they could, before nodding. “...didn’t realize you’d go so far…” 

“Yeah, well… between the elevators and Charon, it’s a lot easier to get around down here than back home. ” He grimaced, putting his shoe gingerly back on.

They frowned. “Who’s Charon?” they asked.

“The River Person. Guess she’s not vocal about who she is over here either, huh?”

Frisk shook their head as they folded their arms with a concentrated hum of thought. “...hmm, guess that’s the one with the dog boat.” 

Their taller counterpart stood, wiping down his pants and frowning at the wetness before looking back to the child.

“You uh… say that like there’s more than one.”

Frisk nodded. “I think so...the one with the dog boat sounds like a girl, but the other doesn’t…” Then, they mumbled the rest. “Though it’s not like I saw them both at the same time…” 

“Huh.” The boy looked over to where the river flowed past in the distance. “I don’t think there’s more than one on my side, I’d think I would have noticed multiple cloaked figures ferrying people around the lake. Makes me think though, I wonder if being the River Person is like a job, or it’s just what she likes to do?

“I would ask, but...I haven’t been down here in a while…figured I’d see what the flowers still had to say.”

His little counterpart nodded.“They say different things now… new wishes,” they mumbled to him. Wishes to be able to live freely under the sun, to go where they wanted to go, to not been as the enemy...to no longer be trapped in any sense of the word. Those were the wishes that would be murmured here.

“Yeah… I noticed that. How about you, why did you come down here?”

They were quiet; hesitating on an answer. “...to hear their voices,” was the mostly vague reply. 

“You find it relaxing too, huh?” The teen chuckled. “I always liked Waterfall… at least when Undyne wasn’t throwing things at me.”

“It’s pretty,” the young one agreed. “If I had to pick a spot to live down here...I think I’d find a place here…” It wasn’t too hot, or too cold, it was quiet and pretty, and...there just seemed to be an echo to Undyne here, making this place feel safe, even in her long absence.

“Yeah… I could see that.” He looked around, then his face creased in a slightly confused expression as he stared over in the direction his young counterpart had come from.

“Hang on… there’s something red over there.” He started to move towards it. “I don’t remember anything like that…”

“Oh--” The younger one turned, biting their lip. “...those are the Recital Flowers,” they murmured, letting their hidden tail coil around their legs--a habit they picked up shortly after becoming fused. 

The older Frisk looked down in confusion

“Recital Flowers?” he echoed.

Frisk nodded. “They...were flowers my Asgore had found...they...they’re like Echo Flowers...they only record once though. ...just before it all happened, we came here on a picnic, and he had one for everybody…they’re still here...”

“Oh,” their elder breathed. He closed his eyes for a moment. “So that’s what you meant. You come down here… to be close to them.”

There was a quiet sound of confirmation. “I like their voices…” they replied, though they were barely heard. 

The teen chewed on his lip for a moment, running his fingers through his ambiguous length hair absently for a moment.

“Can… can I listen too?” he asked quietly.

There was a long pause as they considered their options. In truth, it wasn’t like anyone wasn’t allowed to go see the flowers...they could be seen by anyone if they so chose, and so...who were they to deny it? “...you can, if you want.” 

He gave them a small nod, then walked carefully over to where the red ring of flowers grew, seating himself close by and listening to the very familiar voices that played from the magic flowers.

One was simply an explanation to how they worked--a few were inspirational messages--one even had the theme song to Alphys’s anime playing on it--and Sans’s was just a short little message that sent listeners to Papyrus’s. There was even a poem that had been quietly murmured into one. The moment the message ended, the flower would be silent for a moment, before repeating it again. 

The little one watched him, and then cautiously shuffled over, glancing from their counterpart, to the flowers, and back, seeking his reactions. 

The elder Frisk was silent for a time, listening to the flowers repeat their messages over and over again. 

“You’ll get them back again,” he said finally, his voice faint. “But I’m… sorry this happened.”

The young one shook their head. “Don’t need to say that...you weren’t here,” they simply stated as they moved, kneeling by Sans’s recital flower.

The older Human scratched at his arm absently.

“Maybe not, but I don’t really know what else I can say. My sister’s way better with words than me, maybe she’d figure something out.” He paused. “Though... maybe it’s better if she doesn’t learn about this.”

They didn’t argue about it. “Don’t need to say anything though...words aren’t my thing either…” They turned, looking elsewhere. “...I hope she’ll be happier later.”

“Me too. It’s been especially hard for her the past while, between the nightmares and nearly losing Kid… I think she’s been getting better but…” His voice trailed off.

“...maybe...you should give her a hug when you see her next?” they suggested with a little tilt to their head. 

“Did you know that being punched in the stomach by an irritated robot powered by magic and tech really hurts?” the teen asked conversationally. “Chara’s not really the hugging type of person… with a few exceptions.” He grinned. “The only one who can get away with it for any length of time is Kid… and he doesn’t even have any arms!”

The little Frisk smiled. “They manage,” was the reply, they said as they gently stroke the petals to one of the Recital Flowers. 

“You’d know, huh?” the elder teased. “Noticed you seemed pretty close with your version.”

The other tapped their fingers together sheepishly. “They’re nice...and patient...and tolerant.” They shrugged helplessly and then yanked their hood further over their face. 

“Sounds like a rousing endorsement to me. Just do me a favor and don’t let my sister know if you kiss them. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

They covered their face, shaking their whole form in a very obvious ‘no’. They had no plans for that anyways! Why would they even--and even if they did--why would they even say!?

The taller Frisk laughed.

“Ah, young love,” he said, holding the back of his hand to his head and looking away dramatically. “You’re so easy to read, I can’t even see your face, but that reaction tells me everything I need to know.”

The little Frisk turned away, and folded their arms, flustered, unsure of what to do with their alien counterpart. 

The teen laughed again, but it was abruptly cut off, and his face morphed into an unreadable expression. Then he groaned and put his head in his hands.

“I can’t believe it, I’m now shipping a version of myself with a version of my sister’s boyfriend. This is like some really really bad fanfiction. And I thought today couldn’t get any weirder.”

Frisk slowly turned, opening their eyes, giving him a quiet stare. 

Their elder turned towards them after a moment, noticing their stare and grinning again.

“Disappointed yet?”

They kept their arms folded at first, and then came close, before beckoning him to lean a little closer. 

The boy hesitated for a moment.

“Well, I guess we can end the day with me getting slapped by my counterpart, bring the whole weirdness circle to a close,” he mumbled, doing as he was bid.

They stood on tiptoes, raised their hand…

And lightly bopped him on the head...it was so soft it was barely even registered.

The teen Frisk blinked for a moment, then his expression morphed into one of pain. He clutched at his head, falling to the ground with an overdramatic cry, thrashing about wildly.

“I’ve been hit! I’ve been slain! Oh, woe is me, to have come so far, just to be hoisted by my own petard! The mighty hero has vanquished me with but a single blow!”

The other Frisk had jumped in surprise at first, but then just silently stared at him, waiting for him to finish, their dual-colored eyes seeming to dim as they waited. 

It lasted… far longer than it should have, but their counterpart tired himself out and sat up, panting slightly, mud and dirt covering his back and some of it even staining the front of his shirt. He looked up at the other.

“What?” he asked innocently.

They shut their eyes, and shook their head. “It’s getting late.”

“Yeah, I’ve probably hit my quota of making a fool of myself for the day,” the teen agreed, standing up and attempting to wipe most of the mud off his back. “Probably best to go crash somewhere, especially if it’s as weird going back through the Rift tomorrow as it was in the first place.”

They nodded, and hesitantly held out a hand, normally, the little Frisk could have joked that they knew a shortcut. “You...can probably have one of the rooms at Asgore’s…”

The boy smiled, taking the hand. 

“Thanks. If nothing else, one good thing has come of this debacle,” he said, beginning to walk back in the direction of New Home. “You learned that it could be worse… you could be me!”

They didn’t dignify it with an answer, and instead, found another topic. “Talked to Sans earlier...don’t tell Papyrus.” 

“I bet that was fun.. I hope he didn’t freak out on you. If he did, don’t take it to hard, like I said before, he gets a little antsy when it looks like things are starting to fall apart. Especially now since he’s one of our leaders, got a lot more responsibility.”

“It went...better than I expected...he’s a leader?” they murmured, without sounding too surprised. 

“Yeah, crazy huh? Him, Mom and Undyne are kind of in charge of Monsters now. It’s uh…. Still pretty recent, and I’m not certain on the details, but apparently it has to do with some old roles or something.” He shrugged. “Dad’s just happy he still doesn’t have to be king again, and it’s a little easier to work with the Humans when we’ve got some form of government to point at again. So Chara tells me, anyway.”

“He’s not King…?” That one seemed to have gotten a little more surprise out of the child. “Huh…” 

“Yeah, we kind of dropped the whole monarchy thing pretty quick after leaving the Underground,” the elder Frisk explained, watching the river flow past as they walked near the shore. “We didn’t want it to fall into a Humans and Monsters thing you know? We just wanted to have everyone under the same leadership, try and smooth over as many of the major differences as possible. 

“It worked for the most part, not that there isn’t still issues here and there, but it’s mostly peaceful. Though it probably wouldn’t have been nearly as smooth if the Shifters hadn’t been working behind the scenes. Not everyone’s thrilled about Monsters, even after four years.”

They tilted their head in confusion, trying to figure out how to reply. “Due to...how things are, the Leader suggested we keep our Kingdom active…” They were quiet, always speaking softly in pauses. “...if it doesn’t work out, we fall back to that, if it does…” Frisk shrugged. “That’s for others to decide…”

They tilted their head the other way. “Shifters though?” Then they looked up. “And it’s been four years too?”

The teen was silent for a moment, trying to process both the information he had received and the questions his counterpart had asked.

“Yeah, I guess our worlds must be in sync.” He said at last. “It’s even a Saturday here, maybe that’s why the Rift ended up leading here instead of some other dimension.” He cast a glance down at the horned child. “Do you… not know about Shifters? That… might explain a few things actually..”

The child shook their head quietly. “No...I’ve never heard about them before. Are they...are they some weird group organi...zation thingy?”

“Not… really. Shifters are a type of Monster. In my world, they were the only species of Monster that wasn’t sealed Underground. Mostly because they have the ability to... change from a Monster form to a Human one. They can even make their bodies more solid and less dependant on magical energy if they have to.

“We only really found out about them in the spring. One of them, a guy called Vigil, helped my family get me back when Overwatch kidnapped me. Apparently, they’ve been keeping the worst of the Humans that want to get rid of us at bay. Maybe they didn’t do so well in this world… it would explain why there was so much open hostility down in the city.”

The little one shook their head. “We...I don’t know about them...or an Overwatch either.”

“Hmm… I guess that makes sense…” the older Frisk muttered. “Overwatch was started back when the Monsters were sealed to try and hunt down the last Shifters… They’ve stuck around over the centuries, and are obviously now heading any anti-Monster sentiment they can find. If things were different here, maybe whatever organization came after you might have had different origins. 

“And goals, I guess, since your Humans have magic, and don’t need to try and steal it from the Monsters instead.”

The little one looked up. “It’s confusing...things are a lot similar...and things are a lot different.” 

“Yeah, it’d probably be less confusing if everything was different,” the elder agreed. “Then at least we’d know not to expect anything, but here there’s just enough that’s the same to make it feel weird when something’s not.”

“Like how you and Rex are so much taller…” 

“You call them “Rex” here? That’s way cooler than- hang on a minute. If it’s been four years for both of us since the barrier shattered, how is it that you’re so much younger than me? How old are you?”

The little Frisk gave a hum. “Uh...I was twelve when I fell down here...so...sixteen I think?”

“But… _I’m_ sixteen!” the taller Human exclaimed. “And I mean.. It’s kind of hard to tell with all your extra bits and that hood but.... you don’t look much older than twelve. And if yours works the same as mine, that means that your Kid’s about the same age too… so what the hell?”

They blinked, and then slapped a hand over their face. “Duh…” They breathed out, realizing that they had to explain. “I’m not sure about Rex, but um…” They stared down at the ground. “According to Leader, I haven’t grown at all since we met…” The young Frisk shrugged helplessly. “We’re not sure...Uncle Mettaton looked into it...and we think...it might be that my aging slowed--or stopped altogether because I have…” They fell silent, and then just pointed at their horns without looking at their seemingly older counterpart.

“Huh.” The other seemed about to say something, but thought better of it, looking away for a moment before asking;

“Who’s this… Leader you keep mentioning? Leader of what?”

“The Humans,” the little one replied. “He’s the head of everything. I like him--he was willing to unite humans and monsters...it’s just taking a long time right now--especially because…” They bit their lip. “He’s hurt right now...the people who drained our magic...they were able to hurt him. That’s kinda why we’re working together for once…”

“And he’s just called… the Leader?”

“Uh-huh.” They giggled--the sound a bit of a surprise as they remembered something. “He does have a name--but my Sans finds it a little funny to keep calling him by his title.”

“Sounds like your Humans went to the Flowey school for naming things.” The teen chuckled. “Though really, a lot of the names they use on our side are kind of overly complicated. And dumb.”

They shrugged. “His real name is William at least...not that Sans really calls him that.” However, the tone was out of fondness, rather than annoyance or irritation. 

“At least he’s got a decent name there,” the boy said, snickering as they reached the edge of Waterfall and entered Hotlands, heading towards the elevators. “One of the politicians my sister works with a bunch is called “Ollie Oxford”. Talk about parents with zero imagination.”

“...ow?” They replied with a cringe, before letting the elevator in Hotlands open up, gently tugging their counterpart after them. “It’s just the titles though that are simple. Besides...Sans gets to joke about _liters_ every single time we go down there...”

“I bet that’s just a _gallon_ of fun,” the taller Frisk joked, hitting the button that would bring them to the top level of Hotlands, watching the doors slide shut and breathing a sigh of relief at the slightly less oppressive heat inside the elevator.

“Uh-huh. And he’ll never _droplet_.”

The teen snorted, leaning against the wall of the elevator.

“Man, that was good. Though I guess that’s only natural if you’ve had Sans in your head for a couple years. Learn from the best, right?”

There was a faint smile on their face as they nodded. “Mm-hmm...though when he makes a pun, it’s usually followed by Papyrus being frustrated with him...and then a headache.” 

The boy winced. 

“Ouch. I didn’t think of that… bet you run through painkillers like nobodies business.”

“Grandpa Gerson’s got medicine, and…” They reached into their pocket, and drew out what seemed to be a tiara with an odd gem on it. The color changing depending on the angle it was seen at. “This…”

“Hey, that’s really pretty!” the brown-eyed Frisk said, leaning forward to get a better look. “What does it do?”

Frisk paused, trying to find a way to explain it. “It would...tune the others out,” they finally stated. “Kinda used it when I wasn’t talking to them...or wanted to have a few moments alone to my own thoughts…”

“Kinda wish I had one of those,” their counterpart mused. “It might keep Chara from yelling in my head every time she think’s I’m doing something dumb… which is all the time.”

They gave an odd little smile and held it out to him. “Well, I don’t need it right now.”

“Tcha.” The taller Frisk waved a hand dismissively. “Are you kidding me? Chara would never let me hear the end of it if she ever saw me in that. She already gives me enough grief for wearing the tutu back in the Underground. Anyways, it sounds like you’re going to need it more than I do… I know where Chara’s off button is, after all.”

They giggled, and hid it away again. “Yeah, but if her off switch is like Uncle Mettaton’s…”

“Not quite, it’s more of a mental off switch. There’s no way Chara would have let her body have something that could shut her off at a moment’s notice.” The boy grinned suddenly. “I remember seeing Mettaton’s transformation for the first time… Chara was so stunned that I got a chance to take control back from her. Nearly made it a whole day without fighting her after that Reset…”

Frisk nodded. “I was caught off guard too...he got me a few times before I figured it out.” They rubbed the back of their neck sheepishly, not seeing it as an issue though. “I felt kinda bad when I broke him…”

“Yeah…” the elder one said quietly, his expression suddenly turning somber. “Me too…”

The child picked up on it. “But he’s a lot more durable now. He and Blooky upgraded his form a lot from some blueprints Alphys had.”

“That would be… the NEO form, yes?” The teen guessed. “Or based off of the blueprints from that one I suppose…”

“Oh?” the child asked in surprise. “You know about it too? Though they’re always making it better.”

“I only saw it once,” the brown-eyed Frisk admitted. “I’m glad they’re improving it here though.”

The elevator doors open. “Uh-huh. Uncle Mettaton even has an anti-virus thingy that he’s always updating.”

“That’s good to hear,” The taller counterpart said absently, walking out of the elevator and heading to MTT Resort, seemingly lost his thoughts. 

The smaller Frisk looked up in concern, uncertain of what to do as they climbed up the stairs to the MTT Resort that had mainly fallen back to being an apartment, though it seemed some of the Monsters still worked there. 

It wasn’t until they reached the first elevator just inside the entrance to the core and entered it that the technical elder of the two spoke again, leaning against the elevator wall and giving a slightly sheepish smile to his counterpart.

“Sorry….I just… have a lot on my mind. It’s been an interesting day... On a lot of counts.”

“It’s fine,” they said as the doors closed. “Same for me...we’re just a little more used to taking weird things better…”

“When weird happens often enough, it becomes the new normal right?” The teen chuckled half-heartedly. “Honestly though… I’m mostly worried about Chara. She’s not been acting like herself, and I’m pretty sure her battery’s low. Which it shouldn’t be, I mean, she recharged last night, and one time she flew all the way across an ocean in a day! And I know those wings are a massive drain on her system. Then she runs out of the room like that and… well…”

“Maybe she could recharge at the lab?” the little Frisk asked. “Though wow...I wonder if Uncle Mettaton could do that…” Not that they wanted him to go test it. 

“To be fair, she did have a lot of motivation for doing that… and she crashed hardcore when she got back.” Frisk frowned. “She should be able to recharge wherever… I think that she just needs to power down and her battery recharges itself…”

The younger Frisk gave a quiet hum of concern as the elevator doors opened and they quickly headed through the last part of the core. “I hope so…” 

The elder shrugged.

“Maybe I’m being a bit paranoid,” he admitted. “But despite everything, she’s my sister and I love her.” He gave a wry grin. “Plus, I’m pretty sure that other than Undyne and Sans, she’s the most powerful person on my side of the Rift. Not exactly someone you want to be in an unstable position.”

“...when do you want anyone like that?” was the quiet reply as they neared the other elevator.

The boy threw them a look.

“You’ve never had siblings, have you?”

“Nuh-uh--but I wouldn’t want anyone to be scary.” They had seen some of their family when pushed too far--they didn’t need to see this Chara in a similar state.

The taller Human made a noise of vague agreement, waiting for a moment for the elevator doors to open and walking in, hitting the button to the top floor and rubbing the back of his neck.

“True enough. Couple months ago I just tried to talk to her and she attacked me. Good thing I’m so good at dodging…”

The little one jerked their head up in surprise, before making an uncertain sound to voice their concern over it.

“Oh!” The boy waved his hands, hastily trying to reassure his counterpart. “It’s not like that’s a usual thing! She was just mad and upset because Kid was dying and-” He cut himself short, realizing what he had just said. “Aw man… I should really just keep my mouth shut…”

The child stared wide eyed at him. “R...Rex was…” 

“Uhh… yeah,” the teen admitted. “He uh, got attacked and Fell Down by the time my sister found him. Obviously he survived! Aphys’s research into souls really came in handy there, but… it was touch-and-go for a while, and Chara… took it pretty hard.”

His counterpart closed their hands tight, fingers digging into the scarf as they trembled a little. Perhaps it was out of anger...but more likely, it was out of fear. The little Frisk knew that due to similarities--a fate like that could be awaiting their Rex, and that frightened them.

“Sorry... I really shouldn’t have brought that up. You uh, okay over there?”

They nodded, but then grabbed his wrist, and as soon as the elevator door opened, they bolted forward. 

“Wha- hey!” The boy cried, caught off guard by the sudden action. It was obvious that the child didn’t have the strength to actually drag him anywhere, but once he realized what was happening he ran with them, allowing their grip to pull him forward. 

“Uh, what’s the sudden rush?”

They didn’t respond, simply running along the path above the Monster City, swiftly getting to the Royal’s Home, and busting in. “Rex!?” They looked about, releasing their counterpart’s hand as they darted into the kitchen, and jumped on the back of a chair, their arms grabbing their monster friend.

“Yo--what--!?” They both called out though, the chair threatening to fall, but Gerson thankfully caught it.

“Alright, where’s the fire?” he asked.

“Uhh.. no fire…” the tall Frisk mumbled, coming in and seeing where his counterpart had gone. 

“They were just… making sure Rex was okay…”

“Yo...I’m fine--just a couple of bruises--” They whined and held on tighter, while Gerson slowly shook his head in slight exasperation. 

“Um, anyway, I should get some rest,” the teen said, quickly excusing himself before he had to explain exactly why the child was suddenly so concerned for their friend.

The others blinked in confusion, while Frisk somehow scooted their way onto the chair with their friend, refusing to release them. Gerson shook his head. “Neck Warmer, what are you gonna do when they have to go home?”

Frisk slowly looked up at him. Go home?

“Oh, goodness, Frisk…

 

That evening, after Gerson managed to pry Frisk off their friend, he sent Rex home, and then finally sent the little one to bed---though not without at first being dragged in for a story. It always struck him as odd that while the child was technically sixteen, they kept habits from being twelve. He wasn’t sure if it was because they weren’t aging, or if they were just the kind to stay rooted in a child-like mindset.

Not that he complained though. The child was sweet, and he didn’t mind reading one or two for them. Eventually, he lulled them to sleep...but later that night, he came in to check on the child. It was a habit that had formed after they had been taken. He had quietly opened the door, frowning when he saw them tossing and turning. He made his way over as they settled, mumbling in their sleep. Most were not something he could understand, but...there was one Gerson had started to pick up over the last month.

They jerked in their sleep, going still… “Just give up…” they muttered, clenching the blanket tight as they shuddered. “I did…”

Gerson reached out, resting a hand between their horns, watching them slowly relax. The turtle continued to worry, however. Ever since the magic draining, his little Frisk was having nightmares, and often, he heard that. When he asked the next day, Frisk would claim they had no memory of any dreams. ...he couldn’t tell if that had been the truth or not.

Still, it gave rise to concern, and he had been asking the other Monsters if they had any idea of what it meant. No one had an answer...he wanted to ask the ones they were fused with, if they knew, but...that wasn’t an option. Though an idea lit in his eyes...perhaps he could figure it out come tomorrow. It was better to try it that way instead of hunting down answers in the Human city--which he doubted had the key.

After staying a few minutes longer, the turtle gave a soft sigh, and slowly rose, wincing. He tucked them back in carefully, and then headed out, finally returning to his own bed.


	15. Little Candle

“Sans! You cannot have ketchup for breakfast! Eat some real food!”

“Ok.”

“Don’t “Okay” me, Sans! Our hosts have been very kind in providing food! It’s rude to just drink ketchup the whole time!”

“Ok.”

“What are you- Sans! You dumped the entire bottle on your eggs! They’re ruined now! What did I just say?”

“They’re ruined now.”

“Sans!”

Grillby’s flames crackled quietly in amusement as he listened, though he was keeping his head down. Getting up this early with everyone was a bit taxing, but the group had managed… though his Frisk was nodding off in Gerson’s lap. The only one who seemed to have the right to be awake, was Mettaton, who was dealing with most of the serving so that no one else had to get up. Napstablook was resting on his shoulders like a cat.

Muffet looked up tiredly. “If that’s how he likes it, then it isn’t really an issue,” she murmured, before closing her eyes again. Muffet wanted to go back to bed and stay there for a few months...and Grillby had to agree, because while making breakfast, she was trying to find drinks in the cupboards, and the cups in the refrigerator.

Dogamy peeked an eye open, a bit of a smile coming to him. The squabbling between the brothers was nothing new. Both he and Grillby were used to this kind of thing whenever the two brothers were in the same room together. 

“It’s the principle of the thing!” Papyrus argued. “Anyways, lady Muffet worked hard on this, with the help of the great Papyrus, naturally!”

“And you guys did a good job,” the teen Frisk said, throwing his long scarf over his shoulder to keep it away from his food. “Though I’m a little surprised you actually know how to cook things other than spaghetti.”

“Well, I think we can all agree-”

“Sans, don’t you dare!”

“That it is-”

“Sans, I swear to Asgore!”

“ _Pasta_ time that he learned something else.”

Papyrus gave a groan and slumped in his chair.

There was a mix of chuckles and groans at the table, while the little Frisk blearily blinked their eyes open with a questioning grunt. What was...was Sans making more puns--Frisk was prepared for a headache, but jerked when they realized it wasn’t their Sans that was doing it.

Mettaton shook his head, setting down drinks before taking his seat. “Puns aside,” he murmured. “Once a few more are alert enough to form coherent sentences, we have other matters to attend to.” Dogamy gave a soft grunt to assure that he at least heard.

There was a vague murmur of agreement from the table, and the brown-eyed Frisk gave a concerned look over to where Chara and Kid sat at the table side-by-side. While most of the people from his side seemed awake and refreshed, neither his sister nor her boyfriend looked like they had a restful night. At least Chara looked a little better than she had the day before.

The table went mostly quiet, the only sound being the occupants eating or quietly speaking with one another, usually nothing much more than a request to pass something. Had one not known the circumstances behind this particular gathering, they might have thought it was a completely ordinary occasion.

Finally, near the end of it, even Napstablook looked like they were awake--the meal bringing everyone slowly to their senses, and not look like they were about to drop their head on the table. “Well, seems like everyone’s awake,” Mettaton murmured.

Gerson smirked. “If you can define ‘nearly nodding off’ awake, then sure. We’re awake.” The turtle chuckled, and then adjusted himself and his hold on the little one.

“Well Sans?” Frisk asked. “Don’t keep us in suspense, what’s the word?”

The short skeleton adjusted his hoodie, and swept his gaze around the table before replying.

“Whelp, I’ve managed to get the Rift all but completely stabilized. We shouldn’t have to worry about ending up in some other completely different world, and once through, we should be able to close it… at least temporarily.”

Dogamy tilted his head. “Temporarily?” he questioned. 

“It is a rift between worlds,” Gerson stated. “Probably not the easiest thing to contain.”

Sans nodded.

“Exactly. There’s a chance that we might be able to fully seal it someday, but for now, the best we can do is close it so it doesn’t leave such an obvious mark on the world… and so no one accidentally goes through.

“Even then, it will still be able to be opened, if enough magical power is applied. I’m not completely certain in all the ways magic here differs from ours, but I’m guessing it would take a considerable amount of power… or at the very least a concentrated effort.” 

“Oh no…” Napstablook murmured. “I hope we don’t have to find out…”

“I can’t find a reason to take the risks,” Mettaton assured his cousin.

“So there you have it.” The skeleton shrugged. “The tear between our worlds may well be permanent, but at least we should be able to get back to our side easily enough, and we shouldn’t end up with people accidentally running through.” He looked over to Alphys where she sat on Undyne’s lap at the fish-woman’s insistence, twiddling her thumbs as she listened.

“How’d the work on the recycler go?”

The reptile jerked.

“O-oh! It um… it…”

Mettaton smiled. “It’s good to go. Took a bit of scavenging through our tech, but Alphys is good at this kind of thing, so it’s of no surprise that she figured a way around that.”

The yellow-scaled reptile flushed red with embarrassment at the compliment.

“I-it was nothing… M-Mettaton was very helpful with helping me find stuff to put together…”

“Of course you did! No one's a bigger nerd than you!” Undyne crowed, squeezing Alphys in her grasp until she gave a little squeaking sound. 

Chara opened her eyes and leaned forwards, the lights illuminating her crimson orbs seeming dim.

“Then… we should be good to go back,” she said quietly, her tone carefully neutral.

Muffet and Grillby looked to each other, and then Grillby looked up with a slow nod. “Of course, if you are all ready, we should not keep you here any longer.”

The spider monster dipped her head in agreement. “Unless there’s anything you might need…” 

“Actually, there is!” The teen Frisk jumped in swiftly, speaking before anyone else had a chance to. “Or, more accurately, there’s something that you guys need!”

The little Frisk looked up slowly, while everyone else turned, looking at him in complete bewilderment, but allowing him to continue.

The boy had a large grin on his face, and he swept his bangs out of his eyes, pausing for dramatic effect.

“Look, I’ve been watching you guys. You’re exhausted, trying to recover from the magic draining and keep running things. You’re driving yourselves into the ground. What you guys need, is a _break_.” The grin somehow widened. 

“Fortunately, we happen to have a place where you can take some time to actually rest without having to worry about anything else popping up. You guys should come with us, to our side of the Rift.”

Uncertain looks were past to one another. “Even if we accept,” Dogamy murmured. 

“There’s still a kingdom to run…” Grillby said quietly.

“Is it even safe?” Gerson asked. “I think that might be a little risky, kid.”

Mettaton glanced to Frisk. “While I am curious of this other world…the Rift isn’t friendly with electronics...”

“I...wouldn’t mind if we could all rest…” Napstablook mumbled, and then faded. “Oh no, I’m sorry, we’d just be an inconvenience…”

Muffet glanced around, but remained silent, not sure of how to respond, while little Frisk didn’t say a word, uncertain on how it’d all play out. As much as they wanted help from this side of the Rift...going over there on a ‘vacation’ had not been part of what they had talked about, and they didn’t think it was a good idea.

“So, you’re telling me that there’s _no one_ else qualified to hold the reins for a little while?” the teen questioned. “As for safe, I don’t think you could get any safer. With Undyne in control of the police force, and the fact that the majority of Humans have accepted us, not to mention that the ones that haven’t no longer have magic, I bet it’d be safer there than anything you’ve seen for a while.

“Look,” he continued, sensing the hesitation from around the room, even some from his side. “I’m not saying that you should come and stay there for a long period of time. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be an entire day! But if you guys keep going the way you are, you _will_ drive yourselves into the ground. Nobody's gonna thank you for that, now are they?”  
Mettaton glanced over. “He does have a point on that part.” He folded his arms. “And if it is as peaceful as it is over there, I could actually trust all of you to rest without worry.” He gave a half-hearted glare toward Dogamy. “Since some people insist on trying to fulfill all their duties on little to no energy.”

The robot paused, thinking--looking over information files to get what he needed. “01 and 02 can manage the kingdom for a day--they’ve done it before, and with the fuss in the city, I don’t think that group would be foolish enough to try anything here, besides, we’d see them coming on the cameras.”

“U-um...” Alphys spoke up. “Last night I uh… took s-some of the same stuff we used to upgrade the recycler to try and keep the Rift from damaging Chara’s systems when we go back… I could use some of that to keep the Rift from shorting you out! Theoretically…”

“You snuck out of bed _again_!?!” Undyne fumed. “Do I have to chain you down for you to get a good night’s sleep or what?”

“It was important…” Alphys muttered sheepishly.

“Well, the more protection my form has in general, the better,” Mettaton murmured. “What if another Rift opens? This isn’t the first time we’ve had other dimensional beings from what we do know of things.” It was vague how the corruption came into their world, but they knew it had not originally been a part of it.

Then he switched topics swiftly. “And Muffet is expecting, she needs all the relaxation she can get.”

Muffet looked down a bit sheepishly at that. 

“I think it’s a wonderful idea!” Papyrus enthused. “Besides, King Asgore and Queen Toriel would be very happy to see you all!”

“They’re not king and queen anymore, Papyrus…” Frisk muttered half-heartedly, knowing it wouldn’t do any good.

“I’m...not sure…” Muffet mumbled.

“You do need the rest,” Grillby said quietly.

“You both need the rest,” Dogamy pointed out. “I’d like for you to get back to your regular form.”

Mettaton gave them a look. “You all need rest,” he grumbled.

“We’re sorry…” Napstablook replied.

“It’s not your fault…”

“Well…” Gerson murmured. “I’m on the fence about it. Not my dimension, so, in the end, it’s up to the lot of you,” he said, looking to those that were not of his world. 

“I dunno, kiddo,” Sans said quietly, looking over to his Frisk. “Wasn’t the whole point to get everything back where it belongs?”

“That was before we found out anything about this world,” the boy said dismissively. “Besides, you said it yourself. The connection between our worlds may be permanent. Why waste an opportunity?”

“For once, my brother has a point,” Chara said, absently rubbing the metal bars lining her jaw. “Neither of our worlds is a stranger to interdimensional happenings. Other than the Humans,” Her lip curled in distaste. “This one seems mostly positive. Besides, what if something else like this happens again, with a darker world or something? Not a good idea to just cut ties and run.”

“Exactly!” the teen exclaimed happily. “Besides… you guys still have that… problem in the Abyss.” Frisk took on a more careful tone, and avoided looking at his sister. “We have a lot of powerful people on our side. Maybe we can help you deal with it, once and for all?”

The native Monsters looked around at each other. “That is a dangerous problem…” Dogamy murmured.

“And currently, we don’t even have a way to approach it,” Gerson replied. “I mean--unless you count keeling over dead as a way to get down there and deal with the problem.”

“I...rather we solve the issue before we die,” Grillby stated. “And currently--we can’t even defend ourselves, let alone launch an attack...we…” His flames wavered, and dimmed. “This issue needs to be solved, and...if there are more out there that will be willing to offer their help...than I would gladly accept it.”

“Whoa now,” Sans raised his hands. “Don’t you think you should discuss it with us before offering our help in something like this?”

“What, you plan to leave them alone like this?” The boy argued. “We have the opportunity to help here, why shouldn’t we?”

“Kid…”

“Hell yes!” Undyne shouted, pounding her fist on the table. “We can do something to help! Good thinking, Frisk!”

The teen beamed, while Sans shook his head with a groan.

“Undyne…”

“To be fair,” Mettaton started. “It’s not like we can go crashing in now. Perhaps that will give everyone time to sort out how they want to handle this...proposition.”

“If it’s too much,” Napstablook mumbled. “That’s okay...we’ll understand…” 

“C’mon, Sans…”

“Look, I’m not against the idea on principle,” Sans explained to the Human. “I’m not a fan of the idea of something like that that can apparently cross dimensions on it’s own in the first place. But this is something that needs to be discussed between all of us. You can’t just throw promises out like that.”

“All the more reason to get these guys over to our side, then!” The teen exclaimed.

Muffet nodded slowly. “Don’t throw yourselves in over your heads,” she stated softly. 

The little fusion tilted their head up, biting their lip as they followed the conversation… It would be dangerous, even if they accepted to help with the Abyss...and...it scared them to look at familiar faces, and know that they could be dust on the wind as well, if the wrong choices were made. 

“We… we can certainly discuss it…” Alphys put in, rubbing her hands together nervously. “I mean, if our worlds our linked now… it makes sense to help with each other’s problems… right?”

“Well then! That’s settled!” Papyrus exclaimed, rising from his seat. “Wowie, I can’t believe that just a few years ago, I only had one friend! And now, I have broken my record, making eight new friends in a single day! Truly, this is another victory for the great Papyrus! Nyeh-heh-heh!”

Muffet leaned close to Grillby, whispering quietly to him. “Was our Papyrus like that?”

Grillby’s flames crackled happily and he simply nodded while a little smile came to her. _Such a shame,_ she thought to herself. _We’re certainly missing a lively soul in our midst._

“If we’re going to do it,” Gerson murmured. “I think we should stick with just a day--at least this time. We still don’t know all the who’s-a-ma-what's-its about this Rift thing, after all.”

The teen Frisk shrugged.

“I wasn’t really expecting more than that… This is kind of the trial run anyways. But I get the feeling that there’ll be more trips like this in the future.”

“W-well then,” Alphys said, struggling to extract herself from Undyne’s grip. “I guess I should look at installing those upgrades into Chara and Mettaton… shouldn’t take more than half an hour?” She paused for a moment, then looked over to the robotic girl.

“That reminds me… when we get back, I’m going to need to do a full scan of your systems… You’re already overdue for your next checkup, and I n-need to see how the Rift affected you…”

The girl shrugged.

“All my systems and functions are working as normal, I’m a little more tired than usual, but I’m fine otherwise.”

“E-even so…”

“Better safe than sorry,” Mettaton said. “It could easily have an effect that you can’t detect--trust me--I learned that the hard way.”

Kid lifted his head from the food he’d been picking at throughout the entirety of the conversation.

“Yo…” he said quietly. “You should… probably do it, you were really tired yesterday.”

“I’m fine,” Chara insisted, rising. “Let’s just get this over with, alright? We can deal with the check-up later if we really need to.”

The other robot stood. “It looks like I’ll be going for time time being.”

“I’m sure we can stay alive for half an hour,” Dogamy assured with a bit of humor.

“I’ll hold you to your word, Dogamy,” Mettaton replied. 

“Alright…” Alphys said, finally managing to get down to the floor and scurrying in the direction of the elevators. “We’ll see you all in half an hour! H-hopefully everything will be ready by then!”

 

“That’s...the rift?” Gerson asked, shielding his eyes. “It’s like one of those fancy light shows them young humans have.”

“Yo…” the little Rex breathed next to their Frisk. “We’re...going through that?” When Frisk realized they were all being dragged through, they had decided to take their friend with them as their personal shield.

Not that Rex had any issue with that. 

Mettaton’s eyes dimmed as he lowered how much he could see, his sensors not happy with the amount of light coming off it. _No wonder Alphys and Undyne weren’t in best condition when they got up to the Underground…_

Grillby looked up over Dogamy’s shoulders, who had insisted to carry him instead of having Muffet struggle with him, as Dogamy was one of the others who recovered the most, while Napstablook remained with their cousin.

Alphys nodded.

“Uh… yeah. Be careful when you go through..it’s a little… disorienting.”

Undyne glared at it. 

“Stupid thing. But if this is a rematch, then I’m going to win!” Before anyone could stop her, she had summoned a spear and charged through, roaring a battle-cry as she did so.

“Looks like that check-up’s gonna have to wait,” Chara said, a hint of smugness in her voice while Alphys groaned and covered her face in her hands.

Gerson sighed. “...that Urchin won’t learn no matter what world she comes from…”

Frisk shook their head, and then adjusted their cloak hood, actually wearing another thing Mettaton had made for them when designing clothing for their unique form. It was just for appearance, but the way it was made the horns look like they were part of the decoration, and not a part of Frisk, which the child had appreciated.

Dogamy offered a hand to the spider monster, who quietly took it, allowing him to lead her through, while Grillby hid his face away from it. The others trailed cautiously after them, with little Frisk and Rex sticking to the far back of the group.

As each figure stepped through the Rift, there was brief pulsing as they disappeared into the multicoloured haze. The taller Frisk turned to give an encouraging smile to the younger one before he stepped through. Because they were the last one, no one noticed that when the horned Frisk stepped through, instead of a pulse, there was a flash of light.

 

Little Frisk jerked when Rex was suddenly no longer there. They stumbled, whipping around to go back--but there was nothing there--in fact, there wasn’t anything at all. Just gray for as far as they could see. Had it been black, the poor child would have been an a greater panic. They reached into their cloak, grabbing their stick, their dual-colored eyes darting around for signs of danger. 

Before them, a figure slowly materialized, most of his body cloaked in a long, black robe. He stood a fair distance away, and it was difficult to tell whether he had a skull, or if his face was obscured by a white mask. Either way, two long cracks ran across it, one stretching up from his right eye, the other down from his left. 

He reached out his arms, palms upwards in a gesture of non-violence, revealing hands of bleached white, each with a perfect circle in the middle.

They stared wide eyed, and then jerked their arms into their cloak, hiding their hands away from him, dipping their head just slightly, but their eyes never left him. They knew who he was, but as they closed their hands, they knew that he wasn’t theirs. 

The figure bowed.

“Welcome, Merciful One,” he greeted, his voice quiet, but easily carrying through the grey expanse, so the child had no difficulty hearing him.

They stilled, and then tilted their head, a quiet, meek sound of concern and confusion came, before they softly questioned where they were, more timid than usual with no where and no one to run to.

“Be at ease, child. I have no ill intentions towards you. We are in an... extension of my home, if you can call it such.”

Frisk relaxed slightly, putting their stick away, but adjusting their cloak to keep their arms hidden, tilting their head the other way, still at a loss to what he wanted.

The figure was silent for a moment, before speaking.

“I was told that one day you would come. And I was given a message to relay to you on your arrival.”

The being leaned his head back slightly so that he was looking upwards, then began to sing softly.

_Night becomes backdrop to light_  
Hope remains frail, yet Determined  
Love lets it echo in life  
One day you’ll cast down your burdens. 

_That which is stained can be cleansed_  
White shall give way to color  
The journey is long in the end  
And echos can be made to flower 

_Sleep, little child and rest without fear  
There’s a light in the darkness, your defender is near._

The grayness around began to fade, and familiar voices could be heard on the edge of hearing, slowly getting louder as the grey shifted to color.

“The wind is blowing, little candle,” Gaster murmured, barely audible in the once-Human’s hearing range. “Do not let it put you out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so, the meeting that the Lights foretold has finally come to pass.


	16. Okaa

Frisk’s eyes widened, and then, sensing they were being drawn back, they started to move toward the figure. However, as the colors returned, so did reality, and their foot caught something. They yelped, bringing their arms up to shield themselves...and something caught them before they hit the floor. “Yo, Frisk, be careful.”

Frisk paused, feeling Rex’s magic set them back on their feet, and they looked around, having trouble keeping their balance, feeling as if the room was swaying until they simply latched onto Rex so that they didn’t greet the floor with their face.

The rest of the group didn’t seem to be faring much better, with the exception of Sans, who was leaning against the wall, his grin seeming slightly more amused than usual as he surveyed the others. 

The room was an absolute disaster, one that could easily be likened to the trash tornado in Sans’s room back in Snowdin. Machines, papers and various vials were all scattered about the place. Part of that may have had to do with the upturned table in the middle of the room.

Beside it, Undyne was getting shakily to her feet. She looked a little green around the gills and was panting hard and sweating profusely.

“Yeah! Take… take that, stupid Rift! Didn’t even... Throw up a little bit!”

Others were stumbling and tripping over items, others swiftly clinging to walls and sturdier objects, and some grabbing for those who were falling. Most were slowly gathering themselves, while the little Frisk was slowly sinking down to their knees. Rex stooped down so that they weren’t choked.

“I’m getting too old for this nonsense,” Gerson panted as he leaned against a wall. 

“You alright over there, Mini-me?” The teenaged Frisk asked, slowly standing and helping Alphys to her feet. “It’s uh… a little rough, I’ll admit.”

They let out a little moan, staying down closer to the floor where they felt a little safer, feeling as if the room was still spinning. Their eyes hurt, and they tried to piece together what had even happened. “Yo…” Rex gave a grunt, and then, with a bit of a struggle, raised the young Frisk with their magic, and set the former human down on their back. “There…” Frisk gave a sound of thanks, and buried their face into the Monster child’s shoulder, content to stay like that for the time being.

Alphys looked blearily around, taking off her glasses for a moment and wiping them on her lab coat before placing them back on her snout.

“Umm... Mettaton? Chara? How are you feeling? D-did the upgrades work?”

“I’m fine,” Chara informed from her position leaning against a wall. “No worse than anyone else.”

“Still online,” Mettaton assured. “Though I’ll have to do something about my sensors so that they’re not wailing at me when I go back through.”

Dogamy glanced over his shoulder. “Are you alright, Grillby?”

Grillby managed a nod. “M...Muffet…?”

“I’m fine,” she managed, one hand gripping Dogamy’s, and two others holding onto the edge of a desk, while a fourth went back over her mouth, and a fifth to her forehead, leaving only one hand free. 

“Yo, I thought the only reason it felt that weird the first time was ‘cause I tripped through it,” Kid said, shaking his head vigorously to clear it. “Guess not, haha.”

“Take some time to get yourselves settled,” Sans advised from his position. “There’s no rush.”

Rex gave a grunt, and got themselves oriented, before trying to pick their way across the room, though it was difficult with their dazed friend on their back. Slowly, others started to settle, standing firm as they looked around, trying to get their vision to adjust.

“Uhh… Sorry about the mess.” Alphys mumbled. “It… it wasn’t this bad when I left… I’ll get it clean for when you get back…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sans replied. “It’s uh, partly my fault, kinda wrecked the place trying to figure out how to stabilize this thing before we could come get you.” He shifted his gaze away. “Anyway,” he continued, a little louder. “Why don’t you guys head upstairs?” He gestured to the doors at the far end of the room. 

“The elevator’s just down the hallway… Toriel’s upstairs, and I’m guessing Asgore is too. I gotta make sure everything’s still stable after we all came through.”

Most looked to each other, and started picking their way through everything, while Rex waited right where they were. “Uh...yo...anyone want to walk through this twice?” 

Gerson chuckled. “You really want to keep using that, don’tcha?” He took the child, placing them on his shoulders. “Let me worry about the Neck Warmer, you just get through the battlefield,” he said with a lace of amusement, nudging the child along while the little Frisk slumped against the turtle.

Sans, Alphys and Undyne stayed behind. Despite having managed to avoid throwing up, the fish-warrior still wasn’t quite ready to move yet, and Alphys began running scans on her recycler while they waited. 

The hallway was short and they quickly found themselves at the elevator, though it quickly became apparent that it would only fit five comfortably, seven if they brought the children along.

The brown-eyed Frisk smiled and bowed dramatically, sweeping his arms towards the elevator.

“After you.”

The group looked around, before Dogamy stepped in with Grillby and Muffet, then Gerson entered with the little Frisk. Mettaton looked down, and then effortlessly picked up Rex, holding them in his arms, as his cousin was occupying his shoulders. Then, he stepped in as well. 

“You got room for one more in there?” The older Frisk asked, checking the inside of the elevator. “Don’t want to miss the look on my parent’s faces if I can help it.”

Dogamy looked over, and then Muffet gasped as she was effortlessly taken into Dogamy’s hold. Grillby’s flames crackled as he gave a half-hearted glare at Dogamy, and then the fire elemental looked tiredly to Frisk as Muffet covered her face. “It...would appear so…” he managed tiredly.

“Sweet.” The teen maneuvered himself in, hitting the button for the main floor as he did so.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do while I’m gone you two!” He called to Chara and Kid as the doors slid shut, though they could make out a muffled, though obviously angry response from Chara even after the doors closed.

Dogamy snorted. “You’d get along with Beowulf, for certain,” he murmured. 

Frisk blinked.

“Uhh… Should I know who that is?”

The canine smiled. “One of my pups--though it appears our pups are different from the ones in your world, from what I heard when I was working with Papyrus.”

“Everything’s the same… and everything’s different,” the teen muttered to himself, pulling at his scarf slightly so it didn’t warp around his neck so tightly.

“Yo…” Rex murmured. “It’s not so bad. I think it’d be kinda boring if we met exact copies, don’t you think?”

Gerson chuckled dryly. “True. I wouldn’t have anyone new to tell stories to if that’s the case.”

“Of course that’s your concern,” Mettaton said with a smile of amusement. 

“Heh. Point.” Frisk smiled as the doors opened to a fairly spacious living room, with two couches and a large flatscreen TV. The smell of baking permeated the air and Frisk sniffed appreciatively as he stepped out onto the carpeted floor.

“Looks like Sans was right… I’d recognise that cooking scent anywhere. I bet this is the first time the oven in this house has actually been used.”

“Probably for the best, considering how the Urchin cooks,” Gerson murmured in amusement. 

“And by cooking, you mean set the house on fire,” Grillby replied.

“...at least we lived in Waterfall.”

“That didn’t really help anything,” Dogamy grumbled. “Why did you allow her to keep having a kitchen?”

Mettaton smiled. “With a kitchen she cooks, without it, she starves. Quite the predicament if I do say so myself.”

“Oh no…” Napstablook said quietly.

“All right, all right,” Muffet said, raising her head. “Stop teasing the poor woman--even if she can’t hear you right now.”

“Hey Mom! Dad!” The teen Frisk called, cupping his hands over his mouth so his voice was louder. “We’re back! And we brought friends!”

There was the sound of feet thumping on the ground, then Toriel and Asgore appeared at the top of the stairway at the far end of the room, Asgore dressed in a vibrant pink sweater and bright blue pants, while Toriel was wearing a faded blue dress. They both stopped in surprise seeing the group gathered before them.

“Frisk?” Toriel asked, her gaze scanning everyone. “Where is your sister? And-”

The boy cut her off. “They’re all fine Mom, they’re just waiting for the elevator to come back down. We uh... ended up with a few more people than we had anticipated.”

Asgore blinked in confusion

“I’m not sure I follow…”

The otherworlders did a swift double take of the Royal Family, as Dogamy gently set Muffet down. It was...so strange to see them like that. Then Mettaton smiled. “Well then,” he murmured, folding his arms. “Since Gerson likes telling stories…”

“Hey, don’t go pinning this on me, I need the whole story to tell it,” the turtle replied, folding his arms as Frisk remained slumped against him. 

“Basically, that rift in the lab?” The teen explained quickly. “It led to an… alternate version of our world where some things happened differently. We found Alphys and Undyne, but these guys have been having a bit of a rough time so…” He shrugged. “We figured we’d bring ‘em over, let them see what things are like over here.”

“I… see.” Asgore said, looking helplessly over at Toriel, who giggled and nuzzled him quickly.

“Don’t worry your head about it, Fluffybuns. Why don’t you go back upstairs and make sure the crumble is not burning? I know it was almost done..”

“Now _that_ I can manage.” Asgore grinned, planting a quick kiss right above Toriel’s eyebrow, then turning and heading back up the stairs while his wife made her way into the living room.

Dogamy’s ears twitched slightly and Gerson smiled. They really did get back together here...and were as insufferable as always. Grillby watched the exchange, his flames crackling in merriment. There before them stood their Queen’s counterpart, alive and well in her own form. 

“So… you are all from another world then?” Toriel questioned, coming down and smiling warmly at them. “It is very nice to meet you all. Is this everyone that came, or are there more waiting downstairs?” 

Grillby raised his head from his perch. “Everyone that came through from our side is present…” He drifted off, not sure what to call her by when she was no longer Queen. 

Toriel blinked as she focused in on the fire elemental. 

“Grillby? Is that you?” 

“Yes…” He dipped his head politely and then looked back up. “I’m sorry for my current appearance, we’re all recovering from having our magic drained…” And it was more noticeable with him. 

“Magic… drained?” Toriel questioned, her voice wavering slightly. “What…” 

“It’s uh, part of the reason we brought them over here.” Her son said, coming up to stand next to her. “They could use a break.” 

“Of course… forgive me, I do not wish to bring up unpleasant topics. You look tired, why don’t you relax on the couches while we wait for the others to arrive?” 

“Oh no, we’re sorry,” Napstablook murmured, raising their head. “You don’t have to worry about that...but…” They faded slightly. “Thank you,” they murmured along with the others. 

Dogamy dipped his head, and then walked over to a couch, letting the fire elemental slip off, and Muffet claim a seat beside him. 

“Yo, Mettaton, can I be put down now?” Rex asked. The robot smiled, and gently set them on the floor, before they hurried over to Gerson. “Is Frisk all right?” 

“I think the Rift took it out of them more so than the rest of us,” Gerson said, resting a hand on the reptile’s head. 

“Frisk?” Toriel echoed, looking over at her son who smiled sheepishly. 

“Surprise… There’s a version of me over there too. Except… you know… different.” 

Toriel hummed in concern, walking over to where Gerson stood and looking down at the child. 

“Are you alright, little one?” 

They stirred moving their head, before freezing up, and hiding their face into Gerson. The turtle gave Toriel an apologetic look. “Sorry, Neck Warmer’s a bit jumpy.” He gave a quiet grunt as Frisk moved, swiftly hiding their feet with the cloak. 

Behind them, the doors slid open, revealing Papyrus, Chara and Kid. 

“I see you have met our new friends!” The skeleton noted, stepping out of the elevator and onto the carpet. 

“Uh… hey, Chara....” Kid said a little awkwardly. “I should probably go home, Dad’s probably worried about me….” 

“I told Napstablook that you’d be a little longer, so he shouldn’t be too worried,” Toriel said, looking over with a frown “Though it was very reckless, diving headfirst through the portal the way you did.” 

“I tripped…” The armless Monster mumbled, shuffling his feet. 

“But you tripped purposefully going to the Rift,” Toriel retorted. “Regardless, it is probably for the best if you go let him know you’re okay, you know how he gets over you.” 

The other ghost looked up at the mention of their name, finding it confusing that in this world, their counterpart raised the monster child. 

Gerson quietly moved, finding a place to sit, with Rex hopping up next to him, while Dogamy and Mettaton found places for themselves as well, as their Frisk was finally coming around after going through the Rift. 

Chara had yet to say anything, and Kid hesitated for a moment, before dipping his head a little. 

“Well uh.. I guess I’ll see you guys later.” He turned and headed towards the door, but stopped as Chara called after him. 

“Kid, I’ll come around with the chariot later okay? I could use a drive to clear my head.”

“Sure thing, Chara!” The boy replied, his expression brightening. Then he turned and raced out the door. 

“Chariot…?” Dogamy questioned in light confusion and a tilt to his head, though it was more to himself. Grillby gave a quiet shrug, and then took Muffet’s hand, bringing her attention back to him.

From behind the couch, came a small squeaking noise, and the little Frisk suddenly felt small fingers gripping their tail. 

__Frisk gave a startled squeak, jumping a good foot in the air, before finding themselves gripping the back of the couch, dangling off it. Then their fingers slipped, and they hit the floor. “Yo!” Rex called out in surprise as Gerson tried to move to see what had even happened._ _

__Toriel and Frisk rushed over as well, to find the smaller Frisk lying on the floor, next to a slightly dazed infant, the little green reptile blinking large brown eyes up at the onlookers. One hand still loosely held the now-visible tail, while the other grasped at the carpet._ _

__He blinked a couple times, then gave a smile, the points of tiny teeth just visible in his open-mouthed grin._ _

__“Alexander!” Toriel chided, putting her fists on her hips, though she had a huge smile on her face. “I thought you were in your crib!”_ _

__Frisk gave an alarmed meep, sitting up, drawing their cloak firmly around themselves as they tried to hide their tail. But when they couldn’t get it free, they just covered the boy’s hand along with it as they pressed their back against the couch, while Rex dropped down to confront the matter._ _

__Alexander gave another squeak, then clambered over and sat in the former Human’s lap, kneading his claws gently into their cloak and giving a toothy grin._ _

__“Seems he’s taken a liking to you,” their older counterpart chuckled, finding the situation highly amusing._ _

__They stared at the little child, and tried to gently nudge him away, but when it didn’t work, they looked up pleadingly at Rex. “Yo, I...don’t think I should try anything here…” they murmured sheepishly. “...and besides…” they added in a mumble, but then looked away bashfully, not finishing the sentence._ _

__Alexander reached his little arms up as far as they could go, hovering just below Frisk’s face. He gave a demanding squeak, opening and closing his hands a few times._ _

__“He... likes touching faces,” Toriel explained. “It’s kind of how he gets to know people. He does that to everyone he meets for the first time.”_ _

__Frisk still resisted, until Rex gently used their magic. “Yo...you may just want to get it over with…” Then, despite Frisk’s protests, he gently nudged them into lowering their head closer, though they still tugged on their hood._ _

__Alexander gave a happy squeal and began grabbing at the Frisk’s face with his small hands. His claws were dull, but he was a little rough, pinching at their face as he explored. He hummed as he touched the horns, gave a small cry of frustration when he got a claw tangled in the child’s hair, and stilled for a moment when both hands grabbed an ear fin. Then, he gave a squeak of contentment and snuggled into the smaller Frisk, much to the delight of the elder counterpart._ _

__The little Frisk kept their eyes shut, and winced when he found the ear fins, and then just decided to wait it out in silence, ignoring the deadpan stares that were likely being sent their way. “Yo…” Rex murmured in exasperation, shaking their head at their friend’s antics._ _

__“Are you alright over there, little one?” Toriel asked, stifling a giggle. “You appear to be getting overpowered…”_ _

__Frisk just made a quiet sound, tugging their hood over their face when they finally could. Fine, so the little boy got to find out just about everything--they were just going to stay here until they had less onlookers, and then figure out an escape plan! ...and ignore the exasperated look that Rex was giving them._ _

__“They’ll probably need to be rescued,” Gerson said with a chuckle, slowly shaking his head._ _

__There was a dinging sound, and a soft swishing noise as the elevator doors opened, swiftly followed by the slightly less soft sound of Undyne._ _

__“Alright, where’s my boy?!” she roared. In response, Alexander scrambled out of Frisk’s lap, crawling at an impressively fast pace until he was within sight of his mother, who laughed and scooped him up in a single motion._ _

__The little Frisk instantly made their escape, darting back around the couch, and scrambling into Gerson’s lap, curling up...and when Rex hopped up beside them to make sure they were all right, the reptile got yanked down beside them...not that they had any reason to complain. Gerson gave a quiet grunt as he ended up with both kids, but otherwise, didn’t voice a complaint, while Dogamy snorted in amusement at the whole thing._ _

__“There’s my little troublemaker!” Undyne crowed. “Have you been causing problems for your aunt Toriel while Mama was gone?”_ _

__The infant giggled in response, grabbing onto Undyne’s tank top, fisting the soft fabric in his small hands._ _

__“I’m not sure this is the kind of behaviour you should be enforcing…” Toriel murmured, though she was smiling and gazing softly at the two, unconsciously resting a hand on her stomach._ _

__Grillby glanced over to the mother and child, seeming to smile a little, unconsciously holding Muffet’s hand just a little tighter...and his flames brightened when her own grasp did the same._ _

__“M… M…” Alexander’s face scrunched up in concentration. “Ma...ma. Mama!”_ _

__Undyne stood stock still for a moment, before a massive grin split her face._ _

__“Hah! Yes! See Alphys?” she shouted, turning to where the the reptile stood close by. “You hear that?! He said it!”_ _

__“I heard…” Alphys said softly, her eyes watering slightly as she gazed up at her child. She reached out her arms, and Undyne handed the boy over, still grinning from fin-to-fin. Alexander seemed just fine with this arrangement, snuggling into Alphys’s chest as she looked down at him._ _

__“C-can you say; “Okaa?” she asked. The little one made a few burbling noises in response, then opened and closed his mouth a few times, with nothing coming out._ _

__“O… Oooo….” He finally managed._ _

__“Come on, little guy!” Undyne enthused. “You know you can do it, it’s basically the same as the other one anyway!”_ _

__“O...O’aa?” Alexander squeaked, finally leaving the ‘k’ out all together._ _

__“Close enough,” Alphys whispered, hugging him tighter into her, much to the child’s delight._ _

__Mettaton turned, resting his arms on the back of his seating, and his head on his hands. “Well, if that’s not a little darling, then I don’t know what is.”_ _

__Even though the little Frisk was hiding, and only listening...they had to agree._ _

__Asgore poked his head back around the top of the stairs. He smiled at the scene before him, his gaze lingering on his wife for a moment._ _

__“It would appear to be done, dear.” He hesitated for a moment. “I also took the liberty of preparing some tea, if anyone is interested.”_ _

__Muffet perked, looking up tiredly, before slowly raising a hand. “I...would love to have some, Sir,” she managed quietly._ _

__Asgore waved a hand vaguely as Toriel turned and made for the stairs._ _

__“Please, there is no need for “Sir” Just call me Asgore.. Or Mr. Dreemurr if you must. To be honest, I am more than happy to have left such titles behind me.”_ _

__Dogamy shook his head. “You can tell her not to, but she’s one to keep to formality…” He gave a smile. “She still calls her husband Sir at times.”_ _

__“You don’t have to go say that,” Grillby muttered._ _

__“And what if I do?” Muffet asked, not all that bothered by the teasing...or was just too tired to care._ _

__“Hey Paps,” Sans said quietly to his brother, who looked like he was about to dispute his former King’s royal status. “I need to talk to you about something. Can you meet me back at the house?”_ _

__The taller skeleton turned to him, frowning._ _

__“Sans, are you being suspicious again?”_ _

__“Maybe.”_ _

__His brother sighed._ _

__“Oh well, I guess it can’t be helped. I will see you all soon!” He gave a friendly wave to the room at large before vanishing through the door, Sans following in his footsteps._ _

__The little Frisk, however, raised their head, looking to where the brothers had gone, and then lowered it again._ _

__As Toriel began ascending the steps, she paused, then turned back._ _

__“Is anyone hungry? As well as the tea, we have some food prepared, we weren’t sure how everyone was going to be when they got back so, we have plenty.”_ _

__“T-that’s not something you hear often in this house…” Alphys quipped._ _

__Mettaton smiled, and then looked to his cousin. “Well?”_ _

__“Oh...I don’t know, I don’t want to be a bother…”_ _

__The robot turned. “My cousin would be interested in eating,” he informed Toriel._ _

__“Then I shall bring some down in just a moment,” Toriel said, making her way upstairs and disappearing behind the wall._ _

__Undyne gave Alexander another affectionate pat, then straightened._ _

__“Well, I should probably go check on the station, make sure 01 and 02 have managed to keep everything in line while I was gone.”_ _

__“I’d think they’ll be fine, given that they do all the actual work.” Chara said wryly from her spot leaning against the wall next to the elevator._ _

__“Hey! I do all the important stuff! Catching bad guys and leading from the head! They just deal with the… paperwork.” She gave a disgusted snort. “I can do my job just fine without a bunch of pieces of paper telling me what to do!”_ _

__Dogamy gave a sheepish chuckle. “Most of it is just clarifying what you have done, but…01 and 02 are still holding positions of that sort?” he asked quietly._ _

__“Hah! Those punks wouldn’t know what to do without me! As soon as I got the job, they practically begged to be let in the force! Not that I minded, they do a good job, and they’re still some of my best men!” She frowned. “It’s been good to still have them around, especially since most of the Humans seemed to think that as head of the police force, I was supposed to sit behind a desk the whole time. Hah! Not bloody likely!”_ _

__The dog snorted. “Even if they chained you to the desk, you’d just take it with you...if you couldn’t break the chain.”_ _

__“Not found one I can’t break yet! Especially with the help of this thing.” She tapped her recycler. “Anyways, unless something pops up, I probably won’t be gone for too long. Gotta make sure they still remember who’s boss over there!”_ _

__“If you wouldn’t mind, Captain,” the term leaving him without him even thinking about it. “Could I accompany you?”_ _

__Undyne grinned._ _

__“Hell yeah! Fuhuhu! _Two_ Captains? Those nerds won’t know what hit them! Come on!” She raced out the door in a flash, nearly knocking the older Frisk over on her way._ _

__“...of course we wouldn’t walk.”_ _

__Flames crackled. “That’s your own fault, you should have known better.”_ _

__“I’ll respond to that later!” With that, the dog monster chased after her._ _

__“Hoo, boy, looks like Undyne’s excited,” the older Frisk chuckled as Alphys put Alexander down for a moment, the child crawling away behind the couch the moment no one was looking._ _

__“I should really-” the boy slapped his hand to his face. “Oh man! I totally forgot! I gotta go grab my phone!”_ _

__“What, did you forget about another “date”?” Chara asked. “And I use that term in the loosest manner possible.”_ _

__“Even worse!” He responded. “All my popcorn is in there! There’s no way I’m not gonna need it with all of this going on!”_ _

__“You’re an addict, you know that?” Chara called after him as he too rushed out the door._ _

__Mettaton shook his head slowly. “If that stubborn canine ends up on the ground, it’ll be his own fault.”_ _

__“Sorry, Mettaton...Dogamy isn’t used to being a patient…” Napstablook mumbled._ _

__“I think I’ll get that leash again…”_ _

__Gerson snickered. “Don’t be so hard on the Pup…” The smile faded slightly. “He wants to see them, afterall.”_ _

__Chara flinched, then stood._ _

__“U-um… Chara?” Alphys asked._ _

__“When Mom and Dad come back down, tell them I went to make sure that Frisk keeps out of trouble,” she said, striding stiffly out of the room. “I need some air.”_ _

__The smaller Frisk winced, but it was already done. Grillby’s flames dimmed as he watched her go. They knew they would never associate her with the one who had taken everything away… maybe in time, she would learn to do the same._ _


	17. At a Distance

Toriel and Asgore reappeared at the top of the stairs, Asgore carrying a teapot and a platter with several cups, and Toriel carrying her own plate with what appeared to be a blueberry crumble and a small pie as well as several smaller plates.

They both hesitated, seeing there were a lot less people down here then there had been when they had ascended.

“Where is everyone?” Toriel asked, resuming her walk down the stairs, swiftly reaching the bottom.

“It seems Undyne wanted to check on how things were going where she works,” Mettaton supplied. “Dogamy went with her, your Frisk ran off to get his phone, and your Chara...appeared to make sure he’d stay out of trouble?” He adjusted his position, settling Napstablook on his lap.

Toriel shook her head, her ears flopping from side to side as she did so, huffing in faint amusement.

“Those two… they really can be quite the handful, sometimes.” Her voice was fond, and she set her platter down on the armrest of the couch for a moment. She walked towards a small door next to the television and opened it, pulling out a small side-table which she quickly brought back out and placed in front of the couches.

“Thank you dear,” Asgore murmured, placing his own platter down on the small table and swiftly filling the cups with tea, while Toriel moved the food from its precarious position. 

“Please, help yourselves,” he said, addressing those before him and already handing a cup to Muffet. “You are our guests, after all.”

Muffet dipped her head politely. “Thank you S--Mr. Dreemurr,” she said as Grillby withheld a soft chuckle, though his flames crackled, betraying his light amusement. 

Gerson shook his head. “Alright, kids, you gonna let me have my lap back?”

Rex looked up sheepishly, while Frisk shook their head.

Alphys looked between the former Royals and the otherworlders, opening her mouth to speak, but she stopped abruptly.

“Oh! I-I forgot!” She hurriedly made her way to the stairs. “I n-need to make sure that’s still running…”

“Oh dear…” Toriel said quietly, watching after the yellow reptile and selecting a square of the crumble. “I hope that’s not one of her experiments she’s worried about… Gorey, did you see anything you didn’t recognize up there?”

“Er… I don’t believe so? Though a few of the rooms are perhaps not in the greatest state of cleanliness, so it’s possible it could have been hiding.”

Mettaton took a plate and a square of crumble, holding it for his cousin, who tiredly ate, much to the robot’s relief. 

Muffet reached forward, grabbing a square of crumble and a plate as well, and offering it to the fire elemental. “Thank you, Dear…” he murmured quietly, unable to have any of the current drinks offered.

Toriel glanced at the two, noting the ring on Muffet’s finger, with a matching one sewn to the cuff of Grillby’s sleeve. She smiled softly, focusing for a moment and taking a bite of the treat before saying;

“Congratulations on your little one, you two. How far along are you, Muffet?”

The two looked up in slight surprise. “Oh--” Muffet dipped her head slightly. “...nearly three months,” she managed, the fire elemental’s flames lighting up slightly as she said so.

Toriel blinked, then giggled.

“That’s funny… I’m about the same.”

“Looks like it was good timing all around, wasn’t it?” Asgore chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. The former queen narrowed her eyes playfully and poked her husband's stomach.

“Took long enough though, didn’t it?”

The Boss Monster raised his free hand in surrender. 

“I didn’t exactly have the chance to try for a thousand years,” he chuckled.

Grillby’s flames crackled with amusement. “Better late than never.”

The turtle snickered. “Nothing too much changes with you two.”

There was a soft cry, and Alexander made his appearance, tumbling over the backrest of the couch and landing on Mettaton’s right shoulderguard. He blinked, looking over at the robot, tilting his head to the side and making a vaguely confused bubbling noise as he did so.

“And hello to you too,” Mettaton said, gently reaching over with his free arm, and effortlessly cradling the child. “Are you trying to explore, little Darling?”

“Be careful…” the ghost murmured.

The child squeaked, looking down at the ghost, then to the robot, then back again, seemingly torn. His eyes were wide, and his pupils dilated from slits to orbs before he blinked a couple times, letting them go back to normal. He raised his arms up to the robot’s face, tilting his head as he stared at the former ghost.

Mettaton smiled and drew the boy closer. “Curious, aren’t you, Darling?” Thankfully, even if Alexander was rough, the child was too young to harm the robot for the time being.

Alexander gave a happy hum, making a thorough exploration of the robot's face. Satisfied after a few moments, he drew his arms back and relaxed himself into Mettaton’s arms, though he kept throwing curious glances at the ghost just below him.

“Well, it seems someone’s happy for a chance to get more attention,” Toriel chuckled. “Maybe he’s found a kindred spirit in you, Mettaton.”

The robot smiled, and lightly ran a hand along the boy’s crest. “Hmm, seeking the spotlight, are you now?” Mettaton asked, a chortle escaping him. “Well, currently, you won’t have to share.”

“Oh?” Asgore asked, sipping at his tea, and watching the happy child with a soft smile. “Mettaton… er… the Mettaton who’s already here… might disagree with you on that one.”

“I believe he’s started up a spotlight collection,” Toriel murmured. “Though he does seem more than willing to lend them out, especially to aspiring entertainers.”

“Well, there he goes then, he can raid my counterpart’s collection. I’m fresh out.”

“Well...we do have some still,” Napstablook murmured. “But they’re old...and probably don’t work...oh no...I’m sorry, I should have made sure we still had some.”

Mettaton shook his head in slight exasperation. “It doesn’t matter, Blooky. I can easily buy some new ones when I get the time.”

At the ghost’s voice, Alexander gave another squeak and clambered out of the robot’s arms, slipping and tumbling down into his lap beside Napstablook, staring wide-eyed at the Monster. His hands hovered just outside the ghost’s form, seemingly hesitant to actually touch them.

“Oh…” Napstablook murmured as they looked up. “Oh...um...hello…?”

Alexander hesitantly touched the ghost’s outline, giving a squeal of alarm as his hand passed through, almost falling backwards but saved from doing so by his short tail, it’s position on Mettaton’s leg keeping him stable. 

Recovering quickly, he slowly stretched his neck towards the ghost, tilting his head first one way, then the other as he studied the hapless Monster.

“Oh no...I’m sorry, I’m too tired to make myself physical…” the ghost mumbled helplessly.

“I don’t think he’s going to understand your apology, Blooky…”

“Oh no…”

Alexander carefully swiped a hand at him, stopping just before touching the ghost before pulling him back, much like a cat would. He repeated the motion several times before actually touching him briefly. Then, he cocked his head and looked up to Mettaton in bewilderment.

“I’m sorry, Darling,” Mettaton said with laughter in his voice. “Is my cousin not letting you figure them out?” The robot’s tone had changed, soft and kind--even more so than usual as he talked to the little one.

“I would if I could…” Napstablook mumbled.

There was a clattering of claws and Alphys appeared at the top of the stairs, quickly making her way down.

“Is.. is Alexander causing trouble?” she asked worriedly, noting her son’s position in Mettaton’s lap, the infant having turned his attention back to the ghost and seemingly trying to grab at them.

“I can take him away if he’s making a nuisance of himself…”

Mettaton laughed quietly. “This little Darling isn’t causing any trouble,” he assured, adjusting his hold on the boy. “He’s just curious about the world...not a surprise, considering who his parents are.” 

Alphys chuckled nervously.

“Yeah… he certainly does like exploring. And… breaking things.” She looked up at Toriel. “D-did you feed him recently?”

“Just an hour ago,” Toriel assured, moving to the other couch and settling down with a sigh, Asgore following soon after. “I had put him to bed, but apparently he had different ideas.”

“Well, no objections here,” Mettaton replied as he held the little one. “I was looking forward to meeting this little Darling the moment I heard about him.”

The infant gave a happy chirp and settled himself comfortably against Mettaton, one small hand still lying close enough to Napstablook that it just touched the ghost. 

Aphys gave a fond smile, then took a teacup and settled herself next to the two Boss Monsters.

“Now,” Toriel said, leaning forward slightly. “Perhaps you could tell us a bit about yourselves, and the world you are from? Please do not feel pressured to say anything you do not wish to, but I must admit to being curious as to where you come from, and what led to you deciding to come here.”

“Well...it was mostly your Frisk that persuaded the whole thing,” Gerson murmured. Then everyone looked at the turtle, waiting for him to start. “...I’m a veteran, you’re not allowed to draft me all the time!”

Grillby chuckled. “But you’re the best at telling stories.”

“Good thing too, since you have so many to tell, if you’re anything like the Gerson I know,” Asgore chuckled. 

“I’m not surprised that Frisk was involved… our son can be fairly persuasive when he wants to be,” Toriel added.

“He’s like our Frisk--except they try to use the ‘puppy-eyed’ tactic they learned from Dogamy’s pups,” Gerson said.

The little Frisk poked at their friend, whispering into the reptile’s ear. Then, the reptile looked up. “Um...yo...could um...Frisk and I maybe go out on the porch--if there is one?”

“Um, I don’t see why not…” Alphys replied. “I-its pretty small, and there’s not much out there but… If you want…”

“Just do not wander too far,” Toriel said gently, her motherly instincts rising. “I don’t want you to get lost.”

Rex nodded firmly. “We know--we don’t know the area, we’ll stay by this house,” they said, slipping onto the floor, tapping it firmly to make their point as Frisk slipped down, hiding behind them.

“They’re very shy, aren’t they?” Asgore rumbled, smiling gently at the children. “There is nothing to hide from here, little one.”

They kept their head low, stooping so that even their horns were hard to see. Rex moved a bit sheepishly. “Um…”

Gerson shook his head. “Go on ahead...Frisk, we’ll talk later though,” he murmured gently, before Rex side stepped toward the nearest exit.

“I must admit it is strange to hear them called ‘Frisk,’” Asgore said. “Though I wouldn’t mind if our son had lovely horns like that.”

“Give it some time, and we’ll have another child who’ll grow into her horns.” Toriel assured, smiling, though it was slightly bittersweet, causing her husband to reach out an arm and hold her close.

“It’ll be alright Tori… you’ll see.”

Gerson smiled. “I can only imagine how smothered your little one will be when they finally get here.”

Alphys giggled, nearly spilling tea everywhere.

“Well, given how much they pamper Alexander, their daughter isn’t going to stand a chance!”

“Which reminds me… we really need to give her a name…” Toriel muttered.

“How about-”

“No,” Toriel stated firmly, looking towards her husband before he uttered another word. “We’ve talked about this Gorey, you have many talents, but names has never been one of them.”

The others had to bite back their amusement, aside from Gerson, who snickered quietly, and folded his arms. “Well, I could just sit back and watch this show,” he joked lightly. The King had been lucky enough with ‘Asriel’ with their son, but Gerson left that out of his joking, seeing no need to bring him up. 

 

Rex dropped down with a grunt as they sat by Frisk on the top step of the porch. “Yo...that was...interesting…”

“...I didn’t expect to come here…” the child mumbled quietly. “I know my counterpart said that, maybe they could fix this but…” They folded their arms on top of their knees, and rested their head down. “He didn’t say this,” they muttered.

Rex laughed sheepishly. “Yo...are we sure that’s your counterpart?”

“I wonder…”

The reptile laughed, tail swishing, and then, coiling around Frisk’s. “Yo...don’t you think Alexander was kinda cool?”

Frisk smiled. “...at a distance…”

“Harsh…”

“We’re only visitors,” Frisk murmured. “Once we fix things, we leave. No need to get attached, right?”

“Yeah, but...don’t you think this might be a wasted opportunity?” 

The little child frowned in confusion. “Wh...what do you mean?”

“Yo...they’re all here,” Rex murmured. “The King and Queen...the brothers...Undyne and Alphys...it sounds like 01 and 02 are here too…they’re all here, Frisk, the way they should be...shouldn’t you be out there enjoying it?”

“...wouldn’t it be wrong? What would 01 and 02 think, if I lessened my pain by spending time with counterparts that have no idea of their suffering...” Frisk’s voice became choked. “What would the others think--if I took comfort in the ones here, because I can’t hear them right now? It’s selfish…” 

“It’s not selfish!” Rex protested. “You’ve been hurting a lot--and so far--they’ve been really nice...Frisk…” They opened their mouth to continue...but they found themselves uncertain if their words would help or hinder. They sighed, and leaned close. “Yo...Frisk...I just want you to be happy...is what you’re doing now...going to make you happy?”

Frisk breathed out, and quietly nodded...but it didn’t make Rex feel much better. They found themselves sitting in silence, but...that was normal, sometimes. Frisk wasn’t typically known for their words, and so… they continued, watching the world go by for a while.

After a time, a dull roar could be heard in the distance, slowly getting louder as the powerful sound of an engine drew nearer. After a few moments, the source of the disturbance was revealed, turning around a corner and into sight. 

A large, jet-black motorcycle, with wide handlebars and the words “Harley Davidson” on the side appeared around one of the houses. Several long, thin black wires were attached to the handlebars, stretched tight as they straightened the bike. 

The seat was empty… because attached to the motorbike was a metal chariot, painted in black and yellow colours, and with two large wheels attached to the sides. Standing in the front of the chariot, pressed up against the protective metal barrier between it and the cycle itself, was Kid, wearing a black leather vest and obviously trying to keep a grin off his face. Right behind him, was Chara, her arms stretched around the boy and her stance wide as she gripped the reins in her hands.

No longer was she wearing the long white tank top. Instead, a sleek leather jacket covered her upper body, three metal spikes rising from each shoulder. She wore black sunglasses that obscured her red eyes, and her hair whipped back in the wind created by the speed at which they were travelling. 

Unlike the Monster, she kept a calm, cool expression on her face as she pulled gently on the reins, the motorcycle beginning to slow in response to her action.

The two stared wide-eyed, with the Rex jaw dropping. “Yo…” he managed. “What...what is...that?”

Frisk shook their head, not quite having an answer yet, their tail coiling tighter around the reptile’s. 

Chara tugged gently on the reins, bringing the halting vehicle to a stop next to the sidewalk, then pulled with a little more force, turning the cycle’s dull roar into a quiet purr for a moment, before shutting off altogether. 

She coiled the reins around a short metal piece sticking outside the front of the chariot, before stepping backward. With no barrier on the back of the contraption, that was all it took for her to dismount, her feet once again on asphalt.

Kid was grinning widely now, the red light from his visor illuminating his happy features as he bounded from the chariot to stand next to Chara, his gaze focused on the children.

“Hey guys!”

Frisk kept close to Rex, but they weren’t fully hiding like they had been doing earlier. “Wow…” Rex breathed, staring in awe at the thing. “Yo!” They jumped up. “That thing’s awesome!”

“I know, right?!” The elder enthused. “Isn’t it just the coolest thing ever?”

“Careful you don’t explode with excitement,” Chara noted dryly, the ghost of a smile hovering at her lips.

“It’s up there--it’s up there--it’s up there!” With each exclamation, the reptile had hopped up a step until they were on top of the porch, tail wagging happily as it slipped free of Frisk’s. The other child swiftly hid their own away, and then stood up, watching Rex with a faint smile.

“Yeah! Chara had this thing made so that I could ride around with her without falling off!” He diverted his gaze to the girl, grinning widely. “She’s so awesome!”

The robot flushed slightly, looking away for a moment. 

“Did my brother show up around here?” she asked. “He said he would be heading right back, but he may have been… distracted.”

The young reptile looked around, and then shook their head. “No...we haven’t seen him,” they replied. 

“Tch. Idiot,” Chara grumbled. She leaned against the chariot and smirked at the children.

“Well, little Frisk, I see you’re not cowering in terror at the scary otherworlders this time. Baby steps, huh?”

The little Frisk gave a shrug, but remained silent, while Rex dipped their head apologetically. “Yo...I don’t think you two scare them…” 

The taller Kid looked between the children and his girlfriend, a confused look on his face. Then he shook his head.

“Yo, anyways. You guys should totally try it sometime! It’s so much fun!”

“I really want to try!” Rex exclaimed, while Frisk watched them quietly, before the reptile jumped down the steps. Frisk glanced from the house, to their friend, trying to figure out which way they wanted to go.

Chara looked down at Rex for a moment. Then she gave a grin.

“Well, why not? But you’re gonna need these.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out another pair of sunglasses, though this one had an elastic band instead of the traditional metal bars, obviously made for a non-human head.

“ _My_ Kid gets a free pass because of his visor, but he’s the exception. If you’re gonna ride in my chariot, you’ve gotta have the proper attire first.”

The reptile’s tail swayed side to side, and they looked to Frisk. “Yo--...?” Frisk was on the top of the steps now. “Don’t you wanna try…?” Frisk shook their head, but shooed them off with a smile, insisting that they go ahead. 

Rex paused, glancing between Chara and Frisk. “Yo...I…” They rose up slightly, looking about warily. “I don’t want to leave you alone out here…” Frisk insisted they’d be fine...but noticed the monster’s odd reaction as they sank their claws into the ground, fidgeting. “The last time I wasn’t with you when you were outside…”

Frisk hugged them briefly. “I’ll stay close to the house.”

“Promise?”

“Mm-hmm. Promise.”

Rex breathed out, nudging them gently. “If you get captured again,” they mumbled, but finally stepped back, turning toward the road.

Chara offered the shades to the child, while the older Kid went to sit at the top of the steps beside the little Frisk, watching the proceedings with a happy gleam in his eyes. 

The child didn’t hesitate, the shades levitating out of the robot’s grasp. They were clumsy, but with minor difficulty, managed to get them on, tilting their head this way and that as they tried to get comfortable. 

“Yo…” Kid breathed, watching his counterpart with awe.

“Alright, get on.” The black-haired girl motioned to the chariot. “You want to stand in the front, right up against the barrier there. And don’t touch anything other than that.”

The child lowered themselves, and then jumped carefully into it, taking heed of her words as they pressed close to the barrier, while their friend quietly watched things--somewhat hiding at the top of the stairs.

Chara got on the chariot behind them, her stance wide to keep herself balanced, especially as her feet were only a few inches away from the edge of the chariot. She took the reins, and coiled another length of wire that was already attached the the contraption around her waist. 

Then, she pulled on the reins, the bike roaring to life. She revved it a few times, then turned the handlebars and slowly pulled back out onto the the road. Fortunately, there was a fairly long flat stretch before the first turn, and they picked up a decent amount of speed as they drove down, though it wasn’t as fast as when Chara had first appeared around the corner.

As they sped away, the teen Kid looked to the younger Frisk.

“Yo… your Kid has… what’s it called? Telekinesis?”

Frisk tilted their head. “Rex has some form of it…” They gave a shrug, before nodding a little. “New though, still learning it.”

Kid blinked, then looked oddly at the child. 

“Yo… did you just call them… Rex?”

Frisk looked up and nodded. “That’s...their name.” The child hummed in confusion, frowning a little. “...your name is different?” 

Kid gave a quiet laugh.

“Sort of…”

The child tilted their head. “...what’s that mean?” 

Kid shrugged. 

“I just… don’t use that one anymore.”

“Huh…” The child shrugged. “They still use Rex...only Gerson calls them Kid, but...Grandpa calls everyone that…”

“Huh. Maybe I’ll talk to them about it later.” Kid’s eyes got a little distant for a moment, before he shook himself and brightened.

“But telekinesis! That’s so cool! I wonder if I can do that!” He cast around seeing a rock nearby, then squinted at it, tensing up his entire body in concentration.

“...what kind of magic do you have?” Frisk murmured quietly. 

“Fire magic,” Kid mumbled, not breaking concentration. “Frisk said that I should work as a personal heater, like most of the Vulkins do, haha.”

“...they don’t have Orange magic,” Frisk murmured. “They have a new type we don’t know about...so...probably not?” They dipped their head and shrugged. “But magic works differently here...could be wrong.” 

“They don’t have fire magic?” The boy asked, breaking his concentration and turning back to the horned child. “What kind do they have then?”

“...we don’t know yet..our magic is by color...they have a new type. Pink magic…”

The reptile blinked. 

“Yooo! That’s so cool! I want to see that now!” He paused in thought for a moment. “We sort of have colored magic too? But the only time it means anything is like, with one of those really cool soul effects… Or with Orange and Blue! And I get both of those in my magic!”

“Double magic...not unheard of on our side...Uncle Grillby can use Orange and Blue…” They paused, tilting their head with a hum of thought. Maybe that was the case with most fire users.

“I’ve never seen Grillby use magic before.” The boy said in surprise. “But I guess if he’s not a fighter it makes sense he’d have those two…”

Frisk frowned. “Why?” they asked simply. 

Kid looked down sheepishly. 

“Cause they’re the weakest forms of magic. I can’t do the normal kind, except in my Special Attack.” He looked up. “But Chara says I’m almost as strong as Papyrus now, and he’s pretty tough!”

“...I don’t think they’re weak,” Frisk mumbled quietly. 

“I guess, if you use them right. But they’re way easier to get around than the normal kind. Good thing I have both, or I’d barely be able to fight at all!”

“Maybe it works different but...Uncle Grillby can be rough even with just orange…” There was a frown of concern as they looked to the elder Kid, remembering what their counterpart had told them.

“Yo.... kinda weird how much stuff is different… haha.” He paused, noticing the child’s look. “What’s wrong?” 

They shook their head, and looked back to the road. “Just thinking.” 

The sound of the motorcycle grew again, and Chara and Rex turned back onto the street, beginning to slow down and turn towards the sidewalk before coming to a complete halt right where Chara had stopped before. This time, a small smile was on the mechanical girl’s face as she stepped off the chariot to allow her passenger to leave, while unwrapping herself and coiling the reins back on the chariot.

Rex hopped down with a shout of excitement. “Frisk! It’s so cool! It’s so cool!” They darted over to the porch, hopping around excitedly. “Yo! You should totally try it!” Frisk gave a smile, but still shook their head, quietly insisting that they were fine.

“You sure? It’s a lot of fun, and Chara makes sure that you don’t fall off,” the taller Kid said, moving out of the way so he didn’t interfere with his counterpart’s excited bouncing. 

Chara didn’t say anything, just raised an eyebrow at Frisk.

The young Frisk shrugged, starting to get caught between the choices they had, and shuffled undecidedly on the porch. 

“Doesn’t matter to me whether you come or not,” Chara called. “But a bit of an adrenaline rush might do you some good, not to mention give you a chance to see what’s around here.”

The former Human hesitated, and then looked to Rex, who looked at them pleadingly, before they finally caved in, and came down the porch steps. 

“Ah, there you are, friends!” came a familiar, enthusiastic voice from down the street, as the form of Papyrus revealed itself, taking long strides towards them. “I see the party has been brought outdoors! Nyeh-heh-heh!”

Frisk gave a startled meep, and before anyone knew it, the child was somehow already over in a small tree in the yard, hiding themself away in the branches, as Rex stared blankly at them.


	18. Moment of Clarity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, this chapter contains the very first scene I ever wrote with Petalthorn.

Papyrus frowned, even as Chara failed to contain a chuckle at the child’s surprising burst of speed. 

“That’s strange… I was certain I saw the tiny Frisk around here somewhere… have you seen them? While I was coming back, I realized that we have not yet been properly introduced! Travesty! Treachery! And other cool words that start with T! This situation must be remedied at once!”

Rex hung their head, slowly shaking it as they muttered under their breath, while Frisk peered only slightly out of hiding, covering their right eye.

“They’re in the tree, Paps.” Chara spoke up, a wicked grin on her face as she pointed towards the smaller Frisk’s hiding spot. “I guess the noise from my chariot must have spooked them.”

Frisk gasped, and ducked away, climbing a little higher, silently wishing the others were awake, then they could just teleport away from all this...but they weren’t even stirring. They grumbled over Chara revealing their location, but otherwise, kept silent, slowly climbing up onto another branch. They jerked slightly, turning their head--and found their horns caught in the branches.

“Chara, you shouldn’t drive that around small children!” the skeleton berated. “It’s loud and noisy and can break things!”

“So, basically like Undyne?” Chara questioned. 

“Er… yes, I suppose so!”

“Undyne’s good with kids.”

“You make an excellent point! Perhaps your vehicle is far more child-friendly than I had thought! Well done, Chara, I am very proud of you!”

Papyrus walked up to the tree and looked up, shading his eyes in an attempt to catch sight of his quarry.

“A-ha! There you are! What are you doing up there? Did you find something interesting?”`

Frisk shut their right eye, not answering as they reached one hand up, trying to unsnag themselves. Stupid--tall--horns! This was not the first time they had hindered the child, and it was certainly not going to be the last. 

“Are you alright?” The skeleton’s tone changed to one of concern. “You should be careful climbing trees, you don’t want to hurt yourself!”

Rex looked up from the porch. “...oh no,” they murmured, looking over as they tried to see what was going on. Frisk cringed, and let their tail coil the branch, their feet gripping it as well. Once they felt secure, they raised their other hand, silently wishing that Muffet was still with them so they had two extra hands to spare. 

Papyrus frowned, then made a gesture with his hand, a blue sheen surrounding him as he levitated himself up to the child’s level, his legs moving almost in a blur, as if they were what was keeping him afloat. 

“Ah, I see the problem! Not to worry, the great Papyrus is here to help!”

Frisk squirmed, scooting backwards on the branch as much as they could before their horns stopped them. They lowered one hand back down to grip the branch, while the other covered one side of their face, though they glanced to the side. 

“There’s no need to be afraid,” the skeleton stated confidently, reaching out with both boney hands, one grabbing a horn while the other began wiggling the branch. “I would never let you fall, small Human!”

They stiffened as he grabbed the horn, their knuckles going white as they clenched the branch. Then, they shut their eyes, biting their lip, waiting to be free so they could seek out another escape route. Preferably to safety that wouldn’t betray them two minutes later.

The skeleton hummed in concentration, attempting to gently maneuver the branch so that it would no longer be trapping the child without hurting them. It took a few moments, but he gave a triumphant cry as the branch came free.

“Another victory for the great Papyrus!” He crowed. “That silly branch will no longer hamper my cool friend!”

Frisk quietly yanked their hood down, and then looked about, trying to figure out how to get down safely on their own. ...something that had never been in their realm of expertise. Even so, they were stubbornly determined. 

Now that the branch was no longer an issue, Papyrus focused on the child again. 

“You seem worried about something!” he stated, watching the younger Frisk’s movements. “Are you afraid of heights? Wowie! It was very brave of you to climb a tree if you’re worried about falling! But not to worry! Papyrus can ensure you get down safely!”

Well, he wasn’t completely wrong… The child was soon dangling from the branch they had been perched on, kicking the air briefly until they felt a branch below them, and got their feet onto it...only to find that they really couldn’t let go of the one they were holding onto without falling all the way down.

“That’s it!” Papyrus enthused, floating down slightly so that he was still level with Frisk, his legs still flailing wildly in the air. “You can do it! I believe in you!”

The child was thankfully turned so that it was their left side that faced Papyrus, which gave them the confidence to open their right again. They looked at their predicament, studying their options, before swinging back, letting go, and dropping a brief moment before catching it with a soft squeak, their grip turning their knuckles white. 

Papyrus frowned, then lowered himself to the ground beneath the child, raising his arms and looking up at them.

“Do not worry! The great Papyrus will catch you!”

Frisk tried to pull themselves back up, but their grip was slipping, and a moment later, they found themselves in the air, instantly tucking themselves into a ball with a startled yelp. Their fall was slowed however, as their body was infused with a blue glow, and they gently lowered into the waiting skeleton’s arms.

“See?” The skeleton smiled at them, holding them before him. “Wowie! You must have climbed that tree on purpose in order to get friendship hugs from Papyrus! Though, you do not need to do such dangerous things, I will always be willing to grant you any form of hug you desire! Nyeh-heh-heh!”

The child remained the way they had fallen, aside from glancing toward the ground, trying to figure out how to get out of their ‘new predicament’ as they squirmed slightly. They looked to Rex pleadingly, but all they got was a deadpan look from the reptile.

At their face, Chara, who had been grinning widely this whole time, started to laugh, supporting herself against the chariot as her body shook with mirth. Even Kid was smiling at the child’s “predicament”.

“You should be more careful!” Papyrus admonished, not relinquishing his grip as he walked back to the group. “I do not want to see you get hurt!”

Seeing that they weren’t going to be rescued, Frisk simply tried to hide themselves in their cloak, from head to tail. Rex shook their head, grumbling quietly at how their Frisk was behaving. 

Upon reaching the others, Papyrus set the child down, patting them gently between the horns.

Kid looked at his younger counterpart as Frisk was set down. 

“Yo… your Frisk is a little shy, huh?”

Rex opened their mouth to speak, before watching a blur leap up from the ground, to the top of the porch, and hide themselves in the entry way. “Haha...sort of…” Then they lowered their voice to a mutter. “Not usually,” they grumbled.

“Looks like you’ve still got it with the children, Paps,” Chara chuckled having calmed down somewhat. 

“Of course! They cannot help but love me!” The tall skeleton enthused. “Just like I cannot help but love them!”

“Hey uh… Other-me.” The taller Kid whispered to his counterpart while Chara and Papyrus continued talking. “Your Frisk was telling me you’ve got some kind of special magic?”

They tilted their head, and then nodded. “Yeah...uh...it’s something anyways..what about it?”

“I was wondering… could you show me it? Apparently it’s way different from mine, and it sounds really cool.”

“Maybe…? I’m still trying to learn it, but…” The younger reptile looked up a bit sheepishly. “I can try…?”

The taller Monster grinned.

“Yo! I even know a really good place for it! There’s this old skate park where me, Chara and Undyne spar sometimes, it’s really awesome!”

“Really?” The younger one asked as they hopped up with ease, wagging their tail excitedly. “Could we--” They paused, and then looked back to their Frisk. “Uh, yo, just a minute.” They hopped over, quietly talking to the hiding human. A minute later, with some light bickering, they came back with a sheepish grin, but their excitement hadn’t faltered.

Kid cocked his head curiously.

“What’d they say?” he asked.

The smaller one smiled. “They said I can go if I stay by you...and they’ll…” Rex shook their head in light amusement. “Find better cover until I get back.”

“Yo, cool!” The reptile looked over to Chara. “Yo, hey Chara…”

The girl waved a hand. “I heard. Go ahead and have fun, babe.”

“Sweet! C’mon, let’s go!” The teen jumped off the steps and began running down the street, his tail stretched stiffly behind him, keeping his balance.

“Yo! Wait up!” the younger reptile called. Frisk watched them go with a light smile, and then started inching toward the door. As they backed up however, they found their back pressed against a soft, yet firm surface, followed almost immediately by a large, warm hand coming down to rest on their shoulder. 

“Oh, I am sorry little one. I did not see you there.”

Frisk’s eyes widened, and they whirled in alarm to see Asgore, instantly drawing their hands to their head, trying to somehow cover their horns--but the attempt was futile. There was no way to hide them. They weren’t like Toriel’s that were barely noticeable atop her head. These were the kind of horns the others used when they needed to spot them from a distance. So, try as Frisk might, to hide them, they were just as obvious as before--if not more so from Frisk’s actions

“There is… quite an interesting conversation going on back there,” Asgore said slightly sheepishly. “I’m still wrapping my head around everything, so I decided to do some gardening to clear my mind for a bit. You are welcome to join me, if you so wish.”

The former human kept their hands up, and slowly side-stepped out of his path, giving him clear passage. They would have darted off the porch--but that meant running head long into Papyrus--and the traitor. 

Asgore smiled gently at the small Frisk, then ruffled a hand in their hair for a moment before walking down the stairs to the ground. 

“Well, If you need anything, I will be around the back. Alphys and Undyne do not care for their garden as much as they should.”

Chara snorted.

“Just count yourself lucky they haven’t grown any man-eating venus flytraps or anything. We’re dangerously close to mad scientist territory with those two.”

“That reminds me!” Papyrus slapped a hand to his skull. “I was supposed to give Lady Toriel a message from my brother!” With that, he zipped up onto the porch, past Frisk and into the house while the robotic girl stared after him.

“How did that…”

 

“Yo! Here we are!”

Kid and Rex stopped next to the old skate park, once smooth and polished wood now weathered from age and disuse. Several ramps and grinding rails dotted it, but the older Kid led the other into a large bowl-like structure, all of the walls curved into ramps. 

He sat on the edge of the bowl, and scooted himself forwards so that he could slide down to the bottom. Rex followed suit--somewhat, as they hopped onto it, sliding down it on their feet, only to gasp, tripping near the bottom, and tumbling the rest of the way. However, they pulled themselves up with a smile, laughing. “Whoops, gotta practice that.”

The taller Monster grinned, pulling himself to his feet. 

“Yeah, it took a while, these walls aren’t as smooth as they used to be, haha.” He looked around noting the various scorch marks dotting the bowl. “Especially since we started using it for sparring…”

“Yo, it looks awesome for that!” Rex looked around, eyes wide, as if trying to imagine the fights that could take place there.

The older reptile nodded vigorously. 

“It really is! You should see it when Chara and Undyne go all-out on each other down here! They’re both like, wicked strong, and it’s so cool to watch them fight!”

The younger one’s eyes lit up. “When...um...I mean--do you think I can see it while I’m here?” they asked. 

The boy gave a thoughtful hum.

“I don’t know… maybe we can ask them. Chara hasn’t done any sparring for a while now, and I know she doesn’t want to get rusty.” He began to bounce slightly. “Yeah! I’ll ask them later, I know Undyne would be up for it!”

“Yo, that’d be cool to see Undyne fighting again--and not fighting me…” Rex laughed sheepishly. “Even with my Soul Effect doing more than I expected...ow.” 

The taller Monster’s eyes widened.

"Yo! You have a Soul Effect? Awesome! Aww, man, I wish I could do one, those are really hard to do though.”

The younger one blinked. "They are? I really don't know--everyone was starting to think I didn't have magic at all!”

"What, you mean you didn't show anyone your magic for a while?"

"More like...I literally just found out I even _had_ magic. I'm...the only one with this type as far as we know, so it didn't show up until I really needed it." Rex looked up sheepishly at that.

"Really? Yo! That's awesome! You got to be the hero! I've tried a couple times but uh... Chara and Undyne are way better at it than me. Especially that one time I got beat up really bad..."

"Wha--yo---what!? Who did that!?" The younger monster leaned forward, somehow not falling over, their eyes darting around, as if they might find the culprits.

The taller Kid frowned, trying to remember. "I don't really remember. We were in this other city for a really important meeting between Monsters and Humans, and I got separated from the group. And a group of Humans found me." He shrugged. "I don't really remember much after that... but Chara said I was coughing up dust and then I Fell Down. I asked her what happened to the guys and she said she ‘dealt with the issue.’”

The other jumped back in alarm. "C--Coughing up dust!? How are you not dead!?" 

Kid cocked his head to the side. "I mean... I was pretty close. Since I Fell Down, it was only a matter of time before I..." He trailed off for a minute before brightening. "But! Dr Alphys figured out a way to keep me alive! Man, she's so smart!"

"Whoah..." Rex breathed. "I've never heard of a Monster being brought back after you see dust..."

"Really?" the taller Monster questioned, surprise evident in his voice. "I've seen a couple Monsters bleed dust before and survive. Toriel said that as long as they're not crumbling, they'll be okay if they get help quickly right? But I mean, Chara tries to keep me away from fights, so I haven't seen all that many."

"You...bleed dust?" the younger one asked with a confused frown, and then shook their head. "No, where I'm from, we actually shed blood. Once you start seeing dust, that basically means there's nothing else you can do."

"You mean that gross red stuff Humans have?" the teen crinkled his snout in distaste.

"...I guess...?" the child mumbled, giving their version of a helpless shrug, feeling a little awkward about it now.

Kid's eyes widened as he realized he'd made his younger counterpart uncomfortable. "Yo, but there's a lot of cool stuff you've got too!" he rushed. "You've got that soul effect and your special magic and..." He stopped. "Uh... a lot of things are different in your world, right?"

Rex nodded slowly. "Yeah, I just thought the only difference was who lived with who died at first, but..." They looked around. "There's a lot more different than I could have guessed..."

The older Monster gave a little sigh. "It's a kind of weird isn't it? I mean, it's cool, but also... weird. But..." He looked hopefully at the other. "If there's a bunch of stuff different over there, does that mean... I mean... is your family still alive?"

Rex's eyes widened. "Y--yeah...they are..." However, a look of concern and worry came to them as they looked up at their older counterpart.

The boy heaved a relieved sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, a slightly sad smile spreading across his muzzle. "Good... good."

The younger one opened their mouth to say something, but thought better of it. Instead, they swiftly changed the topic. "So...about that fire magic. You said you can get it to be two colors at once? I mean, I'm around a fire elemental all the time, but...I only saw blue once, and that was when he was really mad..."

Kid blinked a couple times, then shook his head to clear it, focussing in on the other's question. "Uh, I think it has more to do with how my magic works than actually having anything to do with the flames. I'm more attuned to Orange and Blue magic than anything else, so that's how my attacks manifest themselves. At one point, Chara wanted to see if the blue flames were hotter like normal fire, but... we haven't sparred in a while."

"That's a really dangerous combo," the younger one murmured, a little starry eyed. "Yo...you really should try sparring again--if only to practice self-defense."

His elder shrugged. "I'd like to, but not a lot of people around here have been willing to do it. Just about everybody's been busy recently and Chara... got really weird the last couple times we tried to spar. I managed to get a couple sessions in with Papyrus but..."

The shorter of the two suddenly hopped from foot to foot. "Then how about me!?" they asked. "I want to try out my magic, and I can even handle myself without it in battle too! And I learned a lot from Gerson!"

"Yo! That'd be cool, I wanna see more of your magic!!"

The child's tail waggled so violently it was surprising they didn’t fall over.

"All right! I haven't been able to spar with anybody for a bit either--except for a few of our human friends--and your Undyne--but she totally handed by tail back to me--other than that--not too often." They gave a shrug, the fact not really bothering them. With recent events on their side of the rift, they understood that others weren't up for it.

The teen did a little hop-skip backwards, widening the gap between the two, rolling his shoulders and flicking away the icons on his visor so he could focus on the other without any obstructions. 

Satisfied, he widened his stance and called out to his counterpart; "Yo, whenever you're ready!

His younger counterpart did a more dramatic leap, landing with ease, lowering themselves, their talon like feet grasping the ground before they rose a little, their way of carrying themselves a little different now. "Yo..." There was a little laugh. "Fire away."

Kid let out a short bark of laughter at the joke, beginning to let his energy build up within him in anticipation for his Special Attack. Then he breathed in deeply before releasing a gout of flame that covered the other half of the bowl they stood in. As Chara had taught him, he moved his head from side to side, so the blue flame at the core never stayed in one position. 

Rex's eyes widened as they took it in, and then moved, dodging what they could, staying in the orange for as long as they could, frowning as they surveyed the situation. For one who relied on close combat--the flames between them and Kid were going to cause issues. Especially as the flames seemed to cover such a large area.

After a few moments, Kid closed his maw, letting the magic dissipate. He grinned at his counterpart.

"Your turn!" he called out, almost cheekily

Rex bolted forward to close the gap, knowing they'd have to be faster than their counterpart if they were going to land a hit. They raised their sheathed dagger to strike.

Kid grinned and waited for the child to get close before sidestepping... then falling flat on his face.

Rex--caught off guard--skidded to a stop, frowning as they took several steps back, shifting their weight from foot to foot, opening their mouth to question him, but then said nothing as the dagger stiffened in the air, brown eyes narrowing.

The now prone Monster rolled himself over so her was facing Rex again, then blew another gout of flame at him from his new position, the inferno of orange magic flooding the bowl once more.

Rex yelped in surprise, tumbling back and managing to draw up a shield at the last second, redirecting some of the attack, but Rex felt some of the flames licking at their scales.

As the fire died down once more, Kid scrambled quickly to his feet.

"Yo! Let's see how you deal with this one!"

This time, instead of the blast of flame, he spat out three long bolts of blue fire that flew in Rex's direction... though only one of them looked like it would actually hit him. The trajectory of the other two would take them to either side of the child

The young one sidestepped slightly to deal with the one that was heading right at them, keeping their now slightly cracked shield of magic between them and the one bolt.

As soon as the bolt impacted their shield, it suddenly exploded into small orange flames with a quiet pop. They began to float in every direction, quickly surrounding the child.

From behind, they could hear two more of the quiet pops and a sudden rush of heat.

Rex gasped--realizing their error as they felt a nick to their tail--they spun--knowing that so long as they could _move_ , they could ignore the first bolt.

The air around them was covered in constantly moving fire, each flame nearly the size of a fist.  
From where he stood, Kid watched the child's progress for a moment, before firing three more of the blue bolts at them. This time, the attacks were centred on the child.

Move! The child scampered--wanting to get away from the orange flames before the new attacks reached them, their talons scraping the wood they ran upon. There was no place for cover here--making dodging essential to them, until they could somehow close the gap.

They managed to avoid the blue attack, but the air was quickly filled with more orange fire as those attacks impacted. Even so, the first flames were already beginning to disperse, but there was still a lot of fire in the air for the child to deal with.

Rex continued to use their shield--but it finally gave, shattering like glass--the magic swiftly dispersing away as they continued through the mess of fire--focusing more on dodging, than on their opponent.

Eventually, the fires finally faded from around Rex.

"Yo! You're pretty good at defending!" Kid called. rolling his shoulder and grinning at his counterpart's progress. "I still gotcha a couple times though, haha!"

Rex panted a little, and then shook their form, a little smirk going on their face. "Defending's what I do!" the child stated proudly. Albeit--they felt like they had been flailing around at the end--they didn't like that. Well, that was what training was for...now to figure out how to close the gap.

"Hah! Let's see you defend against this then!"

Kid blew out another one of the gouts of flame, this time focusing on trying to hit Rex with the blue core at the middle of his attack. Inwardly, he could feel his magic levels rising. Soon, he'd be able to unleash his strongest attack. Though a part of him wondered if the child would be able to handle it. Still, there was no going back now. If Rex couldn't take it, he'd make sure to miss on purpose.

While the child may not be able to combat the attacks, they were remaining strong, already on the move again as they tried to summon a shield--but their blade only wobbled in protest to using more magic at the moment, causing Rex to just fall back into traditional format.

Once again, Kid's attack ended and sweat was starting to bead on his brow from the energy building up inside him. He narrowed his eyes on the child, trying to focus on him and the inner turmoil at the same time.

Rex dodged the last of it, turning to head toward the older one in the brief moment they had--though they felt something was going on as they studied their counterpart.

Kid widened his stance and hunched himself over, his claws digging into the old wood.

"Yo... You think you can handle... my Special Attack?" he called out, his voice sounding more tense than usual.

Rex nodded slowly. Once they figured out a pattern, it was relatively easy--and they wanted the challenge. They could use their shields again if they got overwhelmed...

"Alright... just be careful, okay?"

Magic surged and roiled within teen. Begging to be unleashed. Untamed. He just needed to hold out a little longer. Find the threshold, find the-

There was a snap, and a sudden moment of clarity. He had been to brash, too brazen with his attack. He realized he had gone too far. The threshold had been crossed. All control... had been lost.

Kid fell to his knees with a pained cry, raw magic swirling and crackling around him. his eyes were wide, but unseeing as his magic began to pour forth from his body.

No longer limited to coming from his maw, fire crackled and spat as it burst from his body, flying out in all directions. This time, it was faster and more intense than it had been during the sparring match.

The instant he cried out--Rex knew something was wrong--but they didn't have time to worry about that as the magic came flying at them. They yelped, summoning their sputtering magic to make a shield. However, the child realized that their shield wasn't durable as it began to crack under the pressure. They had to move but--it was everywhere. _Move...move, move, MOVE!_ The child jumped, their gaze going to the older monster.

Kid toppled to the ground and was writhing against the old, splintery wood, letting another cry every few moments as another wave of magic burst from him. orange, blue and yellow flames all shot at complete random, with no rhyme, reason or pattern to them.

Rex scampered to the far side of the bowl, but getting back out wasn't easy, and they had to put up another shield behind them as they clawed their way up, getting to the top--and then tumbling off the bowl away from the flames, landing with a loud grunt. 

Kid was completely unaware of his counterparts actions, simply continuing to flail about on the floor of the bowl, his untamed magic firing erratically from him.

It wasn't until nearly ten minutes later that the cries and magic finally died down, leaving Kid panting and exhausted at the bottom of the bowl.


	19. A Sneaky Little Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As there has been some interest in the difference between the magic systems in both worlds, I decided to link to a documant explaining each one. Any questions, please ask!
> 
> Thrones_of_War's magic system: http://sta.sh/01jf6yofsnlu
> 
> Petalthorn's magic system: http://sta.sh/0di5p38nhbr

Rex waited for several moments before risking coming back. Their tail had some charred spikes, but Rex ignored those. "Yo!" they called at the top of the bowl. "You okay down there!?"

There was no response from the prone Monster. Rex couldn't see any movement from him either.

Rex gave a sound of concern, and slid back down the bowl, tumbling at the bottom, and scampering over. "Yo!" They raised their voice this time, stomping a foot as they approached.

After a long moment, Kid slowly rolled himself over so he was turning tired brown eyes up at the child. His face seemed drawn and his scales were paler than they had been before. He took a deep, shuddering breath, then managed.

"Hey... I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Rex shook their head. "I had another shield--....are you okay?" They tilted their upper body, looking down at their counterpart.

Kid closed his eyes for a moment, his body shuddering briefly.

"I'll be alright..." He managed a small smirk. "I guess you win, huh?"

Rex plopped down next to them with a shrug. "That was pretty cool..."

“Woulda been even cooler if I'd actually done the attack," Kid muttered, shaking his head. "I'm so stupid. It's been awhile since I've done anything with my magic, why did I think I could just get in and pull that off?"

Rex gave a hum. "Is this...the thingy you mentioned with your magic being different?"

Kid opened his eyes in surprise, tilting his head a little.

"Yo... do you mean... do you guys not have to worry about overcharging?"

Rex shook their head. "Never heard of it--I may not have had magic for a while, but...everyone else around me did, and...I think I would have heard about that..."

The teen's eyes narrowed in bewilderment. 

"Like you don't have to discharge your magic or anything at all?"

Rex shook their head. "If that was the case, I would have been using magic ages ago--I think..." They shrugged helplessly.

"That's... really weird," Kid mumbled. "I guess you've never seen something like that happen before then?"

"Not really...I've seen big attacks, but...not a lost of 

"Wait... how do Special Attacks work on your side if there's no overcharging?" Kid asked suddenly, still trying to wrap his head around the whole concept.

Rex shrugged. "I...don't know. It's...I didn't pay too much attention to it cause I couldn't do it." A little frown of thought appeared as they tried to provide him an explanation. "I think a bigger attack just leaves them tired."

"Well, yeah, but..." Kid shook his head. "It's really weird, Chara's the only one I know who doesn't have to worry about magic buildup and discharging. Well, the only one with magic, I guess."

"Maybe we work a little similar to her then?" the child questioned.

"Like, the magic that makes your body is separate from the magic you use for fighting?" Kid made a thoughtful sound. "Maybe that makes sense... I mean, she's more physical cause of her robot body, and if you guys have actual blood..."

"I think...Gerson probably knows how it all works--heh...wish our Alphys was around--I bet between both, they'd figure this all out."

"Yeah..." Kid looked enviously at the child. "You're so lucky you don't have to worry about overcharging though. That was actually... the first time I've done it." He shifted uncomfortably. "It really really sucks."

"Yeah, but..." They scooted closer. "Yo...you sure you're gonna be okay?"

"I'll be alright... I'm just not gonna be able to use magic for a while." Kid grimaced. "That's what happens when you overcharge... it doesn't leave any magic except for what's holding you together."

"Ow..." Rex gently nudged him with their muzzle in sympathy. "Sounds kinda like the draining..."

Kid chuckled weakly. 

"Yeah... good thing it doesn't take a month to recover from this... that would suuuuck."

Rex perked. "You're be better sooner?" they asked in slight relief.

"Yeah... I should be back to normal tomorrow…” He gave a small shrug. "I think so, anyways... I've never done it myself before..."

The child made a sound of discontent, and flopped over completely to further express their disliking to the fact. "Be careful," they grumbled.

"Yeah..." Kid hesitated for a moment. 

"Speaking of... please don't tell anyone this happened... Chara would have my hide if she found out."

"Haha...yo, you hide it, and I won't bring it up."

Kid smiled gratefully at his counterpart. 

"Thanks... I'll just go home and crash after this... hopefully I'll be back to normal by the time I see everyone again... Though I guess I'll have to tell dad so he doesn't worry." He groaned. "And we've got school again tomorrow..."

"Yo...how about I walk with you there? At worse...maybe your Dad can show me the right way back? That way you don't get seen, and I don't get lost?"

Kid thought about it for a moment, and then nodded slowly.

"Yeah... that could work..."

Rex smiled. "Then here, let's get a move on since Chara knows we came here..." They gently nudged their counterpart. "If you're ready to move..."

The teen groaned again. 

"But it's comfy here..."

"It'll be comfy until she finds us..."

"Yo, just give me a couple minutes... then I should be good to go..." the teen slowly sat up with a grunt, his body protesting the change of position.

Rex nodded, adjusting their position so they were sitting as well. "Yo...wanna talk about something instead?"

"Yeah, sure..." Kid looked at his counterpart suddenly. "Oh, yeah! I forgot to ask... You... you go by Rex, right?"

The child nodded. "Yeah...that's my name..." They paused. "You have a different one here?"

"Actually... no." Kid turned away slightly, a far-off look in his eyes. "That's my name too, I just... I don't use it anymore."

"Oh...?" Rex asked, tilting their head in confusion. "W...why not?"

"My... My sister started calling me Kid as a joke...cause she was younger than me." Kid explained softly. "My parents joined in to tease me, and then I guess it just sorta ended up sticking. And now I guess I... I keep it to remember them." He gave a half-hearted shrug. 

"Or something, anyways."

The child made a quiet sound as they looked up at their counterpart...they didn't know what happened--but they knew things were drastically different between them. Their tail swished on the ground. "Yo..." the child started. 

"...you're pretty tough."

Kid gave another shrug, looking back to Rex. 

"Not really... just got lucky."

The child gave a soft sound of disagreement. Their counterpart had gone through a lot--but they were still there. Kid didn't crumble...

Kid didn't turn. 

Yet, this wasn't Rex's domain when it came to conversations, and so they had a lack of words.

"If it wasn't for Dad... or Chara... or my friends..." Kid trailed off with a sigh. "I don't think I could do it without all of them. They give me another family... you know?"

Rex nodded slowly in agreement. "Yeah..."

Kid smiled. 

"Yeah... I noticed you're pretty close to your Frisk, huh?"

The child gave a fiercer nod and brought their gaze back to their counterpart. "Mmhmm, yeah..." They opened their mouth to say more--but then weren't sure how to word anything.

"So.. do you know why they've been so quiet and nervous around everyone? Are they always like that, or..."

They shook their head. "No--no--they're never like that! At least--well, not as bad as this. I mean, Frisk actually started talking on a more audible level as of late, but...I guess, seeing all of them really shook them up..."

"I still can't believe they actually climbed a tree just to try to get away from Papyrus…”

Rex gave a sheepish sound. "They've just been...through alot, and just when things startled to settle down, this happened. They're a lot better normally. I mean, they laughed...it's really hard, but I could get them to do it. Don't let them know I said it but...losing your counterparts... they really blame themselves for it, and here we are, in a world where… it went right for the most part."

"Yeah, but it's not all bad right? They've got you and their friends... You still have-" He paused and cleared his throat. "Uh, anyway. If your Frisk is anything like mine, then it's totally not their fault. Frisk's probably one of the nicest guys I know!"

"They are the nicest ones around," the smaller one murmured, wiggling their toes as they talked quietly. "Maybe a little too nice, but...they say stuff I don't always understand. They...really think that, and I've tried insisting it's not, but...they're more stubborn than Undyne and Gerson put together."

"Are you sure?" Kid questioned. "I watched Undyne bash down a wall with her face just because someone told her she couldn't."

"Maybe not in that way, but...they set their mind to something, nothing short of the end of everything is gonna stop them from going at it."

"Ohhh... you're talking about Determination! That makes more sense."

"Determination is one thing," Rex murmured, a sheepish smile on his face. "You should see them at it, they're a little scary."

Despite his weariness, a light of excitement sparked in Kid’s eyes.

"I bet! I've seen Determination in action, back when Chara used to spar with Undyne all the time. I don't think **anything** can kill Undyne when she's pumped full of the stuff!"

The child blinked, and glanced at him. "Undyne the who the what now?"

Kid smiled hugely, weariness momentarily forgotten.

"You know, when Undyne uses her Determination to power up and go into her Undying form and she gets way stronger and beats everything that gets in her way and oh-my-gosh-it’s-so-cooool!" In his sudden burst of excitement, the boy forgot to breathe in and was forced to draw in huge gulps of air, almost falling over again. After a moment, he gave a sheepish smile to his counterpart."Uh.. sorry about that."

The child stared very blankly at him. "Uh...I don't know?"

Their elder blinked a couple of times, and an embarrassed flush came to his scales. "Oh, right. You don't... right. Uhh, well Undyne has Determination like Humans do... And she uses it to get way stronger. The last time I saw her use it was when Frisk got kidnapped though..."

"A Monster with Determination, that doesn't become a...uh..." They frowned, and carefully pronounced the word. "Amalgamate...?

"Uhh, I think that's what her... DT recycler is for? It lets her use it whenever she wants without melting. It took her a long time to be able to use it though. But it's sooo coool when she does!"

"Huh..." they murmured, going quiet. Would their Undyne have that ability had she not...? Maybe if she had it, she wouldn't have died in the first place. Their toes curled in briefly in their equivalent of clenching fists. "Yo..." they murmured, speaking up again. "That does sound kinda cool."

“Uh… yeah.” The teen said hesitantly, noting the change in his counterparts tone, but unsure of what he could say about it. “Even Chara’s not been able to beat her yet, though she usually gets pretty close. Maybe you’ll get to see it later?”

They smiled. “Yo...that would be cool to see,” they said to their counterpart, seeming to quickly bounce back.

“Yo, maybe you can ask them about it when you get back. I was kinda hoping to be able to see for myself too, but I guess we’ll probably be seeing each other more often now, right? With the Rift open and everything…”

Slowly, Kid got up to his feet, stretching for a moment before nodding to Rex.

“Anyways… we should probably get back to my place for now. I feel like I could sleep for a month.”

 

The fire elemental had been slowly nodding off, finding it harder and harder to stay awake, until finally, sleep claimed him, and he had slumped against the spider monster. Muffet glanced over in surprise, and then smiled a little. Two of her arms gently held him, keeping him still as she gently took the plate he held out of his loose grasp, setting it on the little table.

Once she had everything else out of her hands, she slowly stood, lowering him fully on the couch, before turning with a little bit of a smile of her face. He did look rather endearing like this, but she’d be happier when he returned to normal.

“Gerson--” Then she paused, blinking in surprise to find that the turtle had drifted off in the single minute she had looked away, and that even Napstablook was now asleep.  
Alexander was curled up next to him and Mettaton nowhere to be seen--as he had gone downstairs to help Alphys clean up the lab. Muffet looked up to the Boss Monster that was still there. “I’m sorry, it’s been a long day as it was…”

Toriel smiled gently.

“There is no need to apologize, it sounds like you could all use a rest. I know I would be sleeping a lot more if my magic levels were as low as all of yours seem to be.”

“We’ll get our rest eventually,” Muffet assured. “Things just need to...settle down first.”

“I suppose so. In the meantime however, all of you are welcome to rest here whenever you wish. I know what it is like to be in charge during a difficult time. As hard as it can be to remember, you must care for yourself so that you can properly care for your people.”

Muffet dipped her head. “And I thank you for that…” Her lower hands quietly closed. “Our guard has been helping to fill in for those who were drained--and thankfully, the humans are currently cooperating, so it’s not as bad as it could be. I will rest.” 

“That’s good.” Toriel stood and walked over to the table, beginning to collect the various dishes set there. “I am impressed to see you all have risen to the occasion, despite everything that has happened. It sounds like your journey has been a difficult one.”

On natural instinct, Muffet began picking some up as well. “Difficult puts it mildly, but...we’ve managed this far, and when we get our magic back, we’ll put everything into making absolutely sure this never happens again.”

Toriel tut-tutted the other woman.

“That does not look like resting, miss Muffet.”

Muffet blinked, and then looked down at the plates, and then back up at the Boss Monster. “Well…”

Toriel gave a soft laugh.

“You look like my Frisk did when he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.”

“What a sneaky little boy…”

“He certainly was. Unfortunately, the incident I was referring to happened last week.”

Muffet blinked a few times, registering it. “...my…what strange fascination do young ones have with the cookie jar?” 

“Apparently that is a mystery that spans both our worlds.” Toriel chuckled. “Even hiding it only seems to encourage them.”

“Oh, I know,” Muffet murmured. “Our own Frisk seems to at least like the challenge--though I’m wondering if it’s a troublemaker influencing them… I’ve had Grillby hiding it in high places...but I recently learned that Chara and Alma keep pointing it out to them.”

Toriel blinked, taking her dishes and stepping away from the table towards the stairs. 

“Yes... you mentioned them briefly, I take it your Chara’s situation is different to ours?”

Muffet paused, falling silent, her gaze shifting to the floor. “...quite so at the moment, I’m afraid…”

Toriel looked concernedly back to her. 

“You have been caring for them, right?”

“We had…” Muffet murmured, her fingers curling tight around the plates she held. “However…”

“Something… happened?” Toriel questioned, her attention now completely focussed on the other woman. 

Muffet nodded. “When we finally located Frisk...Chara and Alma offered their abilities to Grillby and I...we accepted. We absorbed their souls. We didn’t know that we were going up against people who could drain our magic...when we were drained, we couldn’t hold their souls any longer, and the moment we couldn’t hold them…” Her eyes narrowed, and if one paid attention, there was an odd purple tint to her fangs.

“They were captured...we couldn’t do anything, and right now, we don’t...we don’t know where they are.”

“You… absorbed their souls?” Toriel asked in surprise.

Muffet nodded slowly. “Realistically…” Her eyes dimmed. “That should have been the safest place for them.”

“I have only once before seen a Monster with the power of a Human soul,” Toriel said faintly. “Before they diminished and that power was lost.”

The spider monster hesitantly glanced up in concern, trying to think of something to say. “...my apologies, Mrs. Dreemurr, I probably should not have mentioned that…”

The Boss Monster blinked, and shook her head, a small, sad smile coming to her lips. 

“Do not trouble yourself. It is an old, well-healed wound. It just… took me by surprise, that’s all.”

“Maybe so, though I’m usually more careful with my words,” Muffet murmured as she took quiet steps forward.

“Regardless, I should really get these dishes cleaned.” Toriel said, seeming to collect herself. “You can bring those ones if you wish, I would not mind the company, unless you’d rather rest with the others here.”

“I’ll be fine a little longer,” the spider monster assured, heading for the stairs with the plates she had collected.

“I hope my children did not cause too much of a fuss while in your world.” Toriel mentioned as they walked. “They can be a bit of a handful, especially when they’re in a room together.”

“They seemed well behaved, especially considering the situation.”

“Well, it’s gratifying to hear that at least _some_ of what I’ve taught them has stuck.” There was fond amusement in the Boss Monsters voice as she led her companion down the hall and into the kitchen, placing the dishes on the counter and turning on the faucet.

“...they sound like they might have been a handful for you,” Muffet replied, a smile faintly showing for a brief moment as she put her plates in as well. 

“Frisk’s always teasing Chara.” Toriel sighed, pouring soap into the water and watching the bubbles form. “And she is… violent sometimes. I am glad that she has Undyne and Kid to help keep her calm, I’m sure it would have been more difficult without that. Still, it can be trying sometimes.”

“I could imagine, it sounds like there was a rough patch for her recently,” the spider monster murmured.

“I’m afraid so,” Toriel admitted softly. “It worked out in the end but… for a time I was worried that…” She shook her head. “I am sorry, You have enough to worry about, you don’t need me speaking of fears that have already been resolved.”

“It’s fine,” Muffet assured as she switched her ring to her lowest hand, and then grabbed a sponge, before reaching in for a plate.

“You know, you do not have to do this.” Toriel said, scrubbing at a plate in the soapy water that filled the sink. “You are a guest after all, you’re more than welcome to rest with the others…”

“Nonsense, Mrs. Dreemurr,” Muffet replied. “We were unexpected guests, after all. I can’t sit still with that kind of thing.” There was a slight smile. “And it’s natural for me. I’m a hostess...it’s difficult to be the guest.” 

“I would say there is no need to be so formal, but I suspect that it wouldn’t do any good, would it?” the former queen asked wryly, placing the cleaned plate in the drying rack close by and reaching for another. 

Muffet shook her head. “Old habits that are still in use,” she assured. “Especially when interacting with our Humans. Besides…” She grabbed two plates, waving her extra limbs to illustrate her point..

“Well, I suppose I wouldn’t mind the help.” The Boss Monster sighed. “Especially as it is already difficult enough trying to navigate this kitchen. I don’t think there’s anything here that can’t be prepared by heating it for a few moments, other than what Asgore and I brought over. And nothing is where you’d expect it to be!”

“...they’re not going to be known for their sense of order in any world, are they?” Muffet asked as she cleaned another plate.

“I wouldn’t think so,” Toriel chuckled, fondness in her tone. “Still, we all have our flaws, do we not?”

Muffet nodded quietly, her eyes staring blankly at the sink as she absently cleaned a dinner plate. “...that’s just the nature of things,” she murmured, flashes of the fight from a month ago coming to the forefront of her mind. 

Toriel looked to the shorter woman in concern.

“Are you alright, Muffet?” She asked. “This must have been hard on you all, especially since you have a child on the way.”

Muffet breathed out shakily, a lower arm unconsciously going over where the little one was growing. “...I’m worried…” was the soft, trembling reply. 

Toriel’s gaze became soft, and she dried her hands on the front of her dress, but she didn’t say anything, silently lending the spider Monster her support.

“Our Chara...and little Alma…” Her free hands clenched tight, shaking as she squeezed the sponge she held, the soap and water running over her hand. “...they were just…taken...we couldn’t even do anything.”

Toriel walked over to Muffet and kneeled down so she was at eye-level with the woman, placing her hands on her shoulders.

“You’re going to find them… and they will be alright,” she stated firmly.

Muffet blinked rapidly in surprise, turning a little as she tilted her head up just slightly to look at the Boss Monster.

“I know it hurts,” Toriel said softly, her eyes dimming slightly. “Not knowing where they are, or if they’re alright. But you have friends… and family who will do everything to get them back. You will see them both again.”

“...I know...they should still be around--they serve those pigs better that way, but...I’m worried about _how_ we’ll find them…” Muffet had seen what they had done to other souls. She knew the chances to find them were favorably high...but she feared for their state of being.

Toriel sighed and stood. “I know that feeling well. If there was anything I could do to assure you on their state of being, I would do so. Without that... I am here, if you wish to talk about anything.”

The smaller woman slowly dipped their head. “Thank you...I...appreciate it, Mrs. Dreemurr.” It helped a little, to talk about it...but she wouldn’t be happy until she had her little ones back.

The Boss Monster gave her a soft smile, then turned back to her dishes.

“Also, I wanted to thank you.”

The spider’s eyes blinked rapidly in surprise as she glanced back up. “For what?”

“For taking care of Chara.” Toriel said simply. “Especially since I am not around to do so… the child has suffered enough, and it is good to see that they still have a family to watch over them.”

“How could I not?” Muffet murmured. “Though...it’s my husband you should thank. He’s the one that found them first, while I was still with Frisk...so he ended up taking care of them on his own for the first while…”

“Then I suppose I should thank you both.” The taller woman smiled. “I am just grateful they are not alone.”

Muffet dipped her head again. “When we find them...we’ll make sure that ‘alone’ is not something they’ll ever have to worry about again.” After what Muffet had learned of the child’s past...she was set on remedying it all. “And somehow…” she murmured--staring another sentence, but the weariness showed the amount of troubles weighing down on the spider monster.

Toriel looked back to her with a small hum of concern.

“We just have other problems in the background that...we haven’t been able to even tackle when we are fully alert…” One hand drew over her chest in memory of the Abyss--and the wound that should have sent her to dust.

“The… Abyss,” Toriel murmured.

Muffet nodded. “The problem may not be able to escape there, but currently, it’s meeting us on it’s own terms…” There was no way to it, aside from death, and...she didn’t want that to be her afterlife.

Toriel finished the last dish, placing on the drying rack and then draining the sink. 

“Rest, and recover.” She focused back on the spider Monster. “Once you have things under control… once you have recovered, perhaps we can discuss it.” She smiled. “After all, we have some tricks up our sleeves. Perhaps we shall be able to aid you in your troubles.”

The spider looked up tiredly, but a smile appeared. “We...would appreciate any help we can get...I...would love to have it laid to rest, and maybe...have our friends back if we can stop it.”  
“Now is not the time to worry about such things,” Toriel replied gently. “But if nothing else…” she chuckled. “I do not think we could prevent Undyne from lending her aid. She is not one to back down from a challenge.” 

Muffet laughed. “So I’ve learned when we had her taking the ‘front wheel’ of the fusion.”

“Oh dear,” Toriel laughed softly. “I can only imagine how that would go…”

“Maybe I could relay a story or two in Gerson’s stead…”

“Well, let’s get you back down to the couch first… if you fall asleep as well, better to do so there, hmm?”

Muffet nodded. “I have a feeling a certain Sir won’t complain about that…” 

“I admit I was surprised to see you two together,” Toriel began to lead the other woman back downstairs. “But I am happy for you. From what little I’ve seen so far, you make a good couple.”

The spider averted her gaze as her smile softened, and perhaps--a bit of a blush snuck its way onto her features. 

Toriel brought Muffet down to the couch by her sleeping friends and family and sat her down there.

“Now, why don’t you tell me of what trouble Undyne’s been causing in my son’s counterpart?”


	20. Urchin the Second

Meanwhile, just outside the house, Asgore was humming an old tune as he lovingly trimmed the bushes that created a natural wall protecting Undyne and Alphys’s yard from prying eyes. Not that they used it often, which was just fine with the former king. He had taken to setting up a garden out there, partly to give him an excuse to spend time close to Alexander.

It was a setup that worked for all, since both women were often busy and, while they made time for their son, every once in awhile something came up, and Asgore was always more than willing to help in this department.

He smiled, placing the clippers down in the wheelbarrow next to him, and drawing out a watering can, walking to the side of the house and filling it at the faucet.

There was a quiet rustling in the bushes on the other side of the yard, as little Frisk pushed branches slowly out of the way, trying to avoid breaking them. After finding their ‘hiding places’ asleep--or too close to someone else--Frisk decided to try and find a place to hide in the yard, but paused as they recognized familiar humming. Slowly, they stopped mid-way through the bush, and watched quietly.

The white-furred Boss Monster took the full can, turning off the water and walked to the other side of the garden, sprinkling water as he went. Flowers grew everywhere, though he somehow managed to avoid crushing any of them under his large feet as he walked. 

It was impossible to tell all the varieties of flower, and there were some that were unrecognizable, but they were all beautiful, boasting a wide array of vibrant colours as well as different shapes and sizes.

They bit their lip, quietly watching, a hand unconsciously going to their horns. Their fingers twitched, a part of their self wanted to step out there and help--as they knew more about gardening--after spending four years with their own Asgore in their head. They even recognized a good amount of the flowers there...and knew their Asgore would have already been helping with their care if he had been here.

Well, maybe if he was going to work over there, they could do something on the other side, but Frisk was finding a lack of cover… then they perked. They still had the bushes--they could just tend to what was growing on the borders. Quietly, they slipped out of the bushes to the outside of the garden, fully rising, and running in near perfect silence as they peered through the bushes for a place to start.

Asgore knelt down, watering each flower individually, the tune of his humming changing to the song that the music box he’d gotten for his children so long ago. While memories of that time were ever bittersweet, it was soothing, as always, to help bring life once again, to these beautiful, delicate creations.

Upon hearing the tune, Frisk froze, recognizing it in an instant, as it was always the one they listened to in Waterfall. Slowly, they moved around the yard, peering through the large bushes, until finally, they could see the faucet. Due to tending to the gardens often, Frisk typically had a watercan in their immediate inventory. They drew it out. Empty...well…

They crawled through the brush, catching sight of Asgore with his back to them. Good, there was a whole bunch of flowers, that would give them time. They set the can down, and fought with the faucet, gritting their teeth, until it finally gave to them, and started to provide water--but Frisk hadn’t been expecting the sudden squeak of it turning, and then the water falling louder than they thought it would. Without thinking, they darted back into hiding.

At the sound, Asgore turned in confusion, seeing the can being filled and furrowing his brows. He placed his own can on the ground and walked towards the one being filled, and looked around, calling out, 

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

Frisk brought a hand to their face. That was not how it played out in their head...but they remained hidden in the bushes, hoping he’d eventually turn his back again so that they could--at the very least--get their watercan back.

“There is no need to be afraid,” Asgore said, looking around for a moment before turning off the water to the new can and picking it up, examining it for a moment. On instinct, Frisk jerked slightly as he picked it up, freezing when the branches started to move.

Hearing the sound, the former king looked towards the bushes, peering to try and make out what had made the noise. He carefully walked closer to the foliage, crouching down and reaching out with the hand that still grasped the watering can.

“Is this yours?” he asked in a friendly tone. The child backed up a step, but then slowly reached out for it, their hands closing around it as they went to retrieve it.

“Well, that’s better.” The Boss Monster chuckled, releasing his grip. “If you wished to help, you did not have to be sneaky about it, I don’t mind.”

They shrugged, staying rooted to where they were as they held the watering can close, their gaze lowered sheepishly as their toes dug into the ground. 

Asgore’s face morphed into a sad expression at the child’s downcast look. He hesitated for a moment, then asked quietly,

“I admit I do not fully understand everything with these...other worlds and such. But your friends said that there are other versions of ourselves there. Did your Asgore… did he do something to you?” His head lowered.

“Is that why you’re afraid of me now?”

They shook their head harshly, their horns briefly snagging in the bushes, but thankfully they didn’t stay stuck this time. Even if their Asgore had managed to send them back a few times in his battle--that had never mattered to Frisk. And their last memories of their Asgore...was when everyone was together, and they had fallen asleep on his chest… They were not afraid of him in the way he was thinking. They were terrified of what he would think, when he found out.

“Then.. why?” The Boss Monster asked in confusion. “I know something about me… and Toriel… scares you, and I would like to help abolish those fears, if I can.”

The child was quiet, and then, when they finally spoke, it was so quiet, he almost didn’t hear it. “...it’s not you…” they finally murmured.

Asgore’s brows furrowed impossibly further, and he opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it, looking away for a moment and rubbing at his forehead.

“Forgive me,” he murmured finally. “I do not mean to pry, especially into something that might be difficult for you. I suppose I had hoped…” He fell silent, then stood slowly. 

“You are free to remain if you wish, I will be on the other side of the garden.” He turned, beginning to walk back to his original position.

Frisk watched him go, clutching the watering can tight, before breathing out, and slipping out of the bushes, and into the yard, staring far away from the Boss Monster, focusing intently on the flowers before them. The less they interacted--the better, right? However, the back of their mind nagged at them, and how they weren’t acting like themself since Alphys and Undyne had arrived.

This wasn’t how they were supposed to act. They were the ones that had gone through the Underground, sparing everyone--mostly by helping them. ...wasn’t that what they still wanted to do? Help--and here--their behavior was hurting him in a desperate attempt to hide themselves.

Still...Frisk didn’t want to talk either. They bit their lip… and reluctantly made a decision.

As the former king silently tended to the far side of the garden, Frisk slowly approached. They watered flowers...steadily getting closer and closer to Asgore. It didn’t happen right away, but Asgore eventually found that he and the child were working on the same patch of flowers. Frisk would keep their gaze only on the little plants, tending to one--scooting closer--and watering another.

They kept that pattern up for a few minutes, before they were finally beside the Boss Monster. They finished watering the last flower, letting the last few drops escape their can, before settling down in the grass beside him.

Asgore looked to the child, but did not speak, though he did take a seat beside them, pouring the last of the water in his own tool into his hand and carefully administering the water to a last flower, watching the droplets run down its stem.

There was a long quiet pause, before they mumbled a soft apology to the Boss Monster, but otherwise, they didn’t even move.

“It’s alright. I’m sure this has all been very taxing for you. You don’t need the worries of an old Monster on top of everything else.”

“...but you still want to know…” was the barely audible response.

“Not if it causes you more grief.” Asgore stated firmly. “I don’t want my own insecurities to inflict discomfort on you, or anyone else.”

The child was silent again, not saying anything for a good while as they bit their lip, trembling, before taking a shaky breath. “...you’re not what scares me...not here...or in my world. My D--...my Asgore is a lot like you.” They spoke softly, their head lowered and their gaze on the flowers.

The former king’s gaze softened slightly, and he raised a hand, momentarily reaching towards the child before letting it drop back to the ground.

“...do you know...why I don’t look like your Frisk?”

Asgore shook his head.

“No… I think they were getting to that when I left. I know that your magic feels very different from ours, though that seems to be true with all of you, to some extent.”

“...a lot of bad stuff happened after the barrier broke, but before that...I looked normal.” Then, they touched their horns. “...these aren’t mine...not exactly…”

“So then… who do they-” He stopped as realization dawned. “Oh… I see. You… absorbed Monster souls then?”

Frisk nodded, hugging their knees, keeping their gaze forward. “Someone else forced the souls into me so that I...could fight back against something, but...that didn’t end well either...I’m stuck like this for now…”

“And… this is what you’re worried about?”

“...you should already know one of the souls I absorbed...and all Monsters know...how that can even work.” They shuddered, their little hands clenching tight as they shut their eyes.

“Are you saying…” Asgore said slowly. “That I am one of the souls you possess?”

The child shakily nodded, lowering their head as they whimpered out an apology.

Asgore was silent for a moment, then reached out and wrapped his arms around the child, lifting them effortlessly and gently holding them close to him.

“You poor child,” he said softly, voice quivering. “I am so sorry.”

The child gave a choked sound of surprise, looking up at him, opening their mouth to speak, but then they looked down again, before their voice wavered over their words. “I--I promised to fix it I--I’ve been trying, but…”

“You said this was forced upon you, did you not? While I admit I’m confused as to how such a thing could happen, you did not purposefully absorb the souls.”

“Before that--I had promised Sans--” Their voice kept catching, their body jerking as they fought off the urge to cry. “That I could fix it--and then it didn’t work--and every time...I…”

Asgore stroked the child’s back.

“It is not your fault, Frisk,” he said soothingly. “In fact, I should probably be thanking you for the sacrifice you made.”

Their small form gave another jerk, before they gave a humming whine of confusion, nervously looking up.

“In order to have been in a position where my soul could be absorbed, I would have had to have died,” Asgore explained. “If my soul lives on in you then I, and anyone else who fell, are still a part of this world. We are still alive, in some form at least, because of you.”

“I do not believe you mean harm, either to us, or to the people of your world.” He gave a sad smile. “You do not desire power, you do not want to hurt anyone. You just wanted everyone… to have hope. Am I wrong?”

Frisk slowly shook their head, quietly regaining control of themselves. “...I just wanted to save everyone…”

“Then you have nothing to fear, little one,” the Boss Monster rumbled. “You have done nothing wrong.”

“...I’m sorry…” they murmured. “...I’m not like your Frisk, who got it right--and kept it like that. It’s...it’s scary...not knowing what you’ll think when you learn…”

“Has anyone given you trouble over it so far?” Asgore asked.

The child slowly shook their head, fiddling with one of the knots on their hand.

“I did not think so. No one will blame you, Frisk. And knowing my wife, she’s already figured just about everything out and is already scheming on how best she can comfort you.” 

“Oh…” they mumbled slowly as that dawned on them. They bit their lip, thinking it over and then shook their head. “She doesn’t have to…” they insisted. They weren’t quite ready for that...though it was hard to voice why.

“I think you may have more difficulty convincing her not to.” Asgore chuckled. “Especially now that we have a little one on the way, her motherly instinct is higher than I have seen in a long time.”

The child looked down, thinking. “...Snail Pie?” they asked hopefully. 

“I think we have some at home… are you hungry?” the Boss Monster asked.

Frisk shook their head. “...could M--Toriel be convinced with that?”

“Convinced to…?” Asgore’s question trailed off as he gave the child a confused look, not understanding what they were getting at.

“...can...I convince her to leave things be...with Snail Pie?” 

“You know Toriel.” Asgore chuckled, glad he was back on the same page as the child. “If she found a child she believed to be hurting, and was offered snail pie from them… do you think she would let things be?”

They let out a long sigh, hung their head, and slowly shook it with a quiet moan. “No…”

“Besides, I would be surprised if she has not already accepted you as part of our extended family. Perhaps the others as well. That’s just how she is.”

“I know...mine’s like that too…”

“Is it such a bad thing?” Asgore asked. “I know that she will give you space, and not press anything if you wish it, but she is far better at this kind of thing than I am, and you know that she will genuinely care about you.”

“...it’s...hard to talk to you two...and the others that…” They stopped their sentence, and hopped to another. “I know she means well…”

“I understand… it must be difficult for you. I will let her know of your wishes, but if she decides that talking to you will help you the most, well…” He gave rueful grin. “I don’t think anyone would be able to stop her. Though, if she decides to bring that up, knowing you don’t wish to speak… then she’s probably right.”

“...better than nothing,” they replied. They found it strange...to be in Asgore’s hold again, after four years of his physical absence...they didn’t realize they had missed it so much. They paused, before looking around with a quiet hum of thought. “...will these flowers be safe?”

“I may need to plant another hedge around it, especially as Alexander gets older,” Asgore admitted. “Maybe I’ll make a little wall around it, keep him out until he’s old enough to know better.”

“...it’s gotta be strong enough to stop Undyne,” the child insisted quietly.

“Undyne is many things, but she does not harass innocent flowers.” The former king reassured. “I’ve known her since she was a child, she holds life in high regard, despite her taste for battle. She will not harm those who do not deserve it, so the flowers will be safe.”

“True but...that’s her son…safe side...”

Asgore hesitated.

“You... do have a point,” he admitted. “I will have to look into that.”

They quivered in his hold...but there was a smile on their face. “...can we...go refill our watering cans…? I ran out…”

“As you wish.” Asgore smiled, lowering the child to the ground, though he kept one large hand holding their small one. 

 

“Sorry Rex, maybe another time you can see me and Undyne fight. Now just isn’t a good time,” Chara informed the child. She was seated on the far couch in Undyne and Alphys’s living room, her metal body sinking slightly into the plush cushioning. “Besides, it sounds like you’re gonna be going home once Undyne and Dogamy get back.”

Rex sighed, sadly. “Haha…I kinda figured not today...Though he made it sound kinda cool...” They looked up, managing a smile. “Yo, always next time, hopefully.”

“I’m sure you’ll get a chance,” The robotic girl smiled. “Somehow I doubt this will be the last we see of each other… especially if my parents have anything to say about it.

“Of course we’ll see each other again!” Papyrus exclaimed from the other side of the room. “Besides, I must help babysit Dogamy’s pups again! With such a monumental task at hand, the great Papyrus will be there, as sure as my brother is lazy!”

“You called?” Sans grinned, appearing behind his brother.

“Sans! You could have just walked here, it’s not that far!”

“Sorry bro, I was _bone_ tired.”

“Sans!”

Rex laughed, and then started looking around. “Anyways...I’m gonna go look for my Frisk…” Then, they added something else under their breath. “And hope they didn’t climb another tree…”

“I’m sure they’ll be around here somewhere,” Asgore said quietly, glancing over to the sleeping visitors. “We had a nice chat earlier, and they even came back in the house with me, but they left when Muffet said that you’d all be leaving once everyone got back. You might want to try the garden, they seemed to like it there.”

Rex looked up wide-eyed with a happy smile. “They talked to you?” They jumped up, kicking the air. “Yes!” 

“Well, they hid in the bushes for a while first…” The former king chuckled. “But yes, eventually. I caught them trying to help water the flowers without me noticing.”

“Yo, really?” The reptile laughed. “They’re being really strange right now--just wait for them to get used to all this. They won’t hide so much then. Anyways, I’m going to go find them!” With that, they darted out, stirring Gerson out of his slumber. 

The turtle’s motions disturbed Alexander, the small green reptile yawning hugely and stretching, his motions almost catlike. Then he crawled sleepily over to the source of the disturbance, settling himself in the old turtle’s lap before curling up and closing his eyes again.

Gerson looked tiredly down. “Heh...this is why I can never go anywhere these days. Some little critter decides to use me for a bed.”

“Children can’t help but flock to you, can they?” Mettaton asked as he came in, leaning over the back of where Gerson sat. “Maybe you shouldn’t tell such enticing stories.”

“I’ll go through the Abyss again, before I give up telling stories, Oversized Calculator.”

“That doesn’t surprise me, Gramps.” 

The two glanced at each other with odd little smirks, before laughing. “Got that right,” the turtle assured.

“Well, aren’t you two just a barrel of laughs,” Chara grumbled from her position on the couch. “You manage to make any headway on the lab down there Mettaton? I know Alphys came up awhile ago, she checked on Alexander and headed upstairs…”

“It no longer looks like a full scale tornado went through her lab,” Mettaton replied, standing fully. “And everything is up and running--though she insisted on making sure my ‘older tech’ was able to handle going through despite the upgrades. Everything is fine.”

Gerson looked up. “Heh, that’s just until--”

“Don’t you dare jinx us.” 

There was the muffled sound of voices from outside, then the door opened, perhaps a little louder than necessary.

“Honestly, I’m impressed that guy lasted as long as he did without cracking,” Undyne said, striding into the room, Dogamy and the teen Frisk following behind. “Usually, if they’re guilty, they break down as soon as I walk in the door! This guy actually managed to last until I made eye contact!”

Dogamy looked up with an amused--if somewhat sheepish smile. “...do you ever actually get to sit down?” the canine asked with a soft chuckle.

The fish-woman shrugged.

“It’s happened a couple times, but not for a while. People know I mean business. And they said I’d be more effective behind a desk.” She scoffed. “Amateurs.”

“That’s Undyne for you…” Frisk chuckled. “Always leading from the head. At least no one can deny that she gets results…”

“To be expected,” Dogamy murmured, then looked over to where the young couple was sleeping, with Grillby’s head in Muffet’s lap. “Seems they’ve finally been getting some rest.”

Mettaton gave him a look. “Oh, don’t think you’re off the hook, Dogamy. You’re going straight home to rest after this.”

Frisk snickered.

“Captain of the guard, and between Mettaton and Dogaressa, everyone’s _still_ telling you what to do, huh Dogamy?”

Dogamy raised a brow, folding his arms. “Why does everyone assume I’m kept on a short leash with my wife? She’s not like that.”

“Then how do you explain the leash I used to keep you in bed?” Mettaton asked.

The canine pointed accusingly at him. “We agreed to never bring that up, and that leash is for my brother’s seeing eye companion, so that’s completely invalid--”

“Hmm...then maybe you should listen to the doctor’s orders.”

“Mettaton, I swear--”

“Or, you Whippersnappers,” Gerson said as he raised his head. “You could continue that elsewhere. I’ve got Urchin the Second in my lap here, and if there’s anything I do know about urchins...I do not need them rudely awakened. I’d like to keep what’s left of my hearing intact.”

“Urchin the Second.” Chara laughed quietly as Undyne walked over to look at her sleeping son. “Priceless.”

“Hah! He must really have taken a liking to you guys if he’s still back where I left him.” Undyne grinned. “Usually he’d have crawled off on some adventure by now. Looks like he’s just as willing to put up with you as I am.”

Gerson raised a brow at the fish-woman. “...I’ll take that as a compliment,” he replied with a knowing smile. “He’s a bit better than you were at this age--at least on our side of the Rift.”

“Oh?” Mettaton asked curiously. 

Undyne frowned. 

“Geez, you met me that early? I’ll have to ask Mom if it’s the same on this side.... And if I find out that our Gerson’s been telling baby stories about me to the schoolkids, I’ll-”

“Your Mom?” Gerson asked, raising his head in surprise. “How...how is she?” he finally asked.

“She’s still doing that same old “River Person” thing.” The fish-warrior replied casually. “Been ferrying people across the lake, giving scenic tours, that kind of thing. I bring Alexander out there every once in awhile… she still doesn’t like leaving the water.” She shrugged. “You know how it is.”

Gerson stared blankly. While their River People _might_ be related to Undyne...they were most definitely not Undyne’s mother. “Well…” he murmured, trying to find words that would actually work. “Good to hear, Urchin.” 

“Yo!” Rex called quietly as they came back in, with Frisk hiding behind them. “Found Frisk,” they reported.

Muffet stirred, bringing a hand to her face. “That’s good…” she mumbled, not really having the context to the whole thing. 

“Hello, little Frisk!” Papyrus enthused. “I hope you did not get stuck in any more trees!” 

Chara gave an amused snort at the reminder.

Frisk gave a soft sound of protest, shaking their head against the back of their Kid’s shoulder.

“It sounds like your love for plants gets you into trouble sometimes,” Asgore chuckled heartily. 

“Well then, maybe you should _branch_ out your interests before another tree _soils_ your attempt to get down,” Sans joked, narrowly dodging an angry swat from his brother.

Rex and Gerson snickered at that, while Frisk adjusted their cloak, hiding their face away, while Dogamy slowly shook his head. “It never gets old, does it?” he murmured softly to himself. 

“...I heard puns…” The fire elemental slowly sat up, looking around, and instantly, his gaze fell on Sans, flames moving slowly.

Muffet tilted her head. “Is that really what woke you up?”

“No,” he replied. “It’s just been a while.”

“Wait, does that mean you are not plagued constantly with terrible, terrible puns?” Papyrus threw his hands up into the air. “That does it! I’m moving out to their side of the Rift! Pun-free life, here I come!”

“Well...when I say a while,” Grillby murmured. “...I mean about four weeks, and that’s a record.”

Dogamy nodded. “Once they wake up, we’re going to be hearing that word play all over again.”

Gerson snickered. “Heh...guess I better start thinking about making that medicine for Frisk again.” 

“C’mon Paps, I’m not that bad.” Sans added. “Besides, you’ve got customers who come in every day to see you, you seriously going to leave them all behind?”

Papyrus hesitated, then sighed in exasperation.

“No, I suppose not. Still! I now have a safe haven I can retreat to, that not even you can shortcut to, brother! Nyeh-heh-heh!”

Alphys appeared at the top of the stairs, a stack of documents in her hands. She looked up at the sound of Papyrus’s laugh.

“Did I miss something?”

Mettaton glanced up instantly, while Frisk yanked Rex along to a spot where they could be deemed ‘safe’. “Nothing too much,” he replied. “Just people ribbing on one another…”

“And somehow only missing out on two or three puns,” Grillby murmured, looking to the small skeleton. “Sans, you’re slipping,” he said in good humor. 

“ _Ice_ one Grillbz. I’m just keeping my brother on his toes, he hasn’t quite caught the pun _femur_ yet.” His grin seemed to broaden impossibly. “Although, there was this one time at-”

“Sans, we DO NOT talk about the pun incident!” Papyrus cried The sudden noise woke Alexander, and the reptile jumped with a startled squeak, landing on the front of Gerson’s shell and clinging to it for a moment before tumbling back down into the elderly Monster’s lap.

“Oi vay, youngsters,” Gerson murmured, picking up the child. “What are you doing, you little catfish?” He held them closer. “Did a scary noise wake you, hmm?”

The little one looked wide-eyed up at the turtle, his eyes watering and his lower lip quivering as a mournful whine escaped his throat.

“Oh dear...any of the mothers want to come and help?” Gerson asked.

Undyne hesitated, biting her lip, and seemed to sag with relief when Alphys rushed forward and took the infant, cradling him close to her chest as he buried his face in her lab coat. 

“There, there…” she soothed, stroking the boy’s crest gently. “It’s nothing to worry about, everything’s alright.” She shot a look at the skeleton brothers, who were both shuffling sheepishly near the elevator.

“Er… sorry about that Alphys.” Papyrus apologized. “I forgot he was still sleeping.”

“I think somebody needs to nap in his crib,” Alphys muttered, walking towards the stairs. “You’ve had a very exciting day, haven’t you? It’s not often you get to meet so many new friends…”

The others watched her go, before the turtle breathed out slowly. “Speaking of children and beds…” He looked over to Frisk and Rex. “I think it’s high time we get you two home.”

“Is there anything else you need before you go?” Toriel, who had been mostly watching this whole time, finally spoke up, rising from where she had been seated close to her daughter.

Gerson smirked. “Aside from running off with your food, I think we’re good.”

Muffet’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that mean?”

The turtle’s smile softened. “Nothing you need to hang me for.”

“Well then,” Asgore rumbled. “It was very nice to meet you all, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that you are welcome back anytime you wish.”

The others nodded in agreement at the Boss Monster’s statement. Gerson slowly sat up, as did Muffet, while Mettaton went to grab his sleeping cousin. Dogamy headed over to the spider monster, and soon had Grillby on his back again, refusing to let the fire elemental do too much before he got his form back.

“Hey, Papyrus.” The short skeleton said, looking over to his brother. “You should go down with them. Our magic is pretty similar and I want to show you how to close the Rift after they go through.”

“Good idea, Sans! That way I’ll also know how to open it and can sneak through later when you’re not paying attention!”

“Uhh… sure thing, Paps.”

“Papyrus!” Undyne laughed. “You’re not supposed to tell him that!”

Grillby’s flames crackled gently in amusement. _True, but then he wouldn’t be Papyrus, now would he?_ The fire elemental slowly shook his head, and rested it back down as Gerson finally stood. 

“All right, Rex, got the Neck Warmer?”

The young child laughed. “Yes~” Their laughing only grew as Frisk grumbled at them quietly.

“Keep safe over there.” Undyne turned to Dogamy as she spoke. “And say hi to Dogaressa for me, alright?”

Dogamy dipped his head. “Of course,” he assured, before glancing to Muffet. “Are you up to walking?”

“I’ll be fine,” she managed. “You’re the one that’s been running around all day.”

“Against doctor’s orders, even!” the teen Frisk interjected in a sing-song voice, a big grin plastered across his features. Then he walked over to where his counterpart stood next to Rex, lowering his voice so only those two could hear it.

“Don’t worry, I’ll start talking to Alphys about what we discussed earlier. Hopefully by the time you guys get things sorted over there, she’ll have something for us to work with. And I get the feeling that Papyrus is gonna be more than willing to act as a go-between here.”

The little Frisk nodded quietly, and mumbled a thank you, while Rex tilted their head in slight confusion at the whole thing, and then smiled. It seemed the reptile had no objections to seeing these Monsters again, even if Frisk was slightly hesitant to the idea.

“Welp, whenever you guys are ready,” Sans said, turning and heading towards the door leading outside. “I’ll be down in a minute, gotta check something first.”

“And by something you mean nap!” Papyrus called after him as he disappeared through the door. The tall skeleton shook his head. “Unbelievable. I don’t know what he would do if he didn’t have a cool brother like me to take care of him.”

The little Frisk watched quietly from their hiding spot, watching the smaller skeleton leave, before Mettaton glanced to the elevator. “I think we’re all ready.”

“Looks like it,” Gerson agreed.

“Farewell, then,” Toriel told them, smiling warmly. “I hope we can meet again soon, and under better circumstances.

“And hey… let us know if you end up needing help with some asskicking when you track down those Humans,” Chara called from her seat. “Undyne and I would be happy to give a hand… and I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”

“Chara!” Toriel scolded. “There are children here!”

The little Frisk hid themselves further, their hands hiding in their hood to cover their ears, while Rex gave a sheepish look. “Sorta…” they murmured quietly as they moved slowly to the door, as Frisk hindered their movements ever so slightly. 

“Well then! Let’s go make sure my brother is actually down in the lab, and not lazing about somewhere!” Papyrus grumbled, taking long strides to the elevator door and hitting the button just outside, then walking in and taking up position on next to the far wall.

The others filed in carefully, with Dogamy taking Muffet back into his arms to assure for extra room in the elevator and soon enough, they all filed in, with Rex looking up at the buttons, trying to figure out what one they were supposed to press. Frisk glanced up, and then reached up, pressing the down button, before settling back into their original position as the elevator doors closed.

The elevator was mostly silent going down, and it wasn’t long before the doors opened again, revealing the short hallway ending in large metal doors, fluorescent lights flickering slightly for a few moments before strengthening.

Frisk yanked Rex into the corner of the elevator while the others slowly filed out, with Dogamy grimacing at the lights, as the children exited last. “Look at the bright side, Frisk,” Rex murmured with a smile. “I won’t have to act like I’m walking on landmines.” 

Papyrus quickly strode ahead, his long legs bringing him to the double-doors, which he held open for the others while peering through.

“Wowie! Alphys and Mettaton did such a great job cleaning up the lab! They must have even put the Rift away safely!”

The lights in Mettaton’s eyes flickered. “...what?” he asked in confusion, swearing he almost powered down, before racing to catch up with the skeleton. 

The lab was, indeed, in far better condition than it had been when they came in, and knowing Alphys, it was possible it was the cleanest it had ever been. What had the robot’s attention however, was the large, multicolored Rift… which was conspicuously absent.

Mettaton raised a hand, to speak, but it took a few moments before he could get the words out. “We...may have a problem…”

“Oh no…” his cousin murmured sleepily, slowly opening their eyes.

“Problem?” Dogamy asked as he came forward, peering in, before he, Grillby, and Muffet looked over in alarm.

“Mettaton…” they murmured.

“I don’t know.” 

Gerson frowned, and slowly came over. “What’s the malfunct--” There was a very long pause. “You see this? This is why I don’t like messing with all those whatchamacallits.” Gerson folded his arms, raising a brow. If he was panicking, he was doing a good job at hiding it, while Muffet and Frisk were trembling as their minds processed it slowly.

“...it’s not there,” Muffet managed. 

Papyrus strode into the room, and began rummaging through various drawers and cupboards, apparently searching for the tear.

“Did Sans already show you how to close the Rift?” he called back to Mettaton. “That would be just like my brother, closing it before we got the chance to use it! I will be very cross with him if this is another prank!”

“If he did--he certainly didn’t inform anyone, as far as I’m aware,” the robot managed, his scanners activating, trying to pick up the odd readings nearby, but he wasn’t having much luck, while Dogamy and the young couple were beginning to worry.

As if on cue, the short skeleton appeared in the middle of the room, his hands in the pockets of his blue hoodie. 

“Sorry I’m late, I was just-” He stopped, registering the worried expressions around him, then turned slowly, staring at where the Rift had been.

“... huh.”

Mettaton looked about. “I’m not picking up any readings near by,” he said slowly. Gerson opened his mouth to ask a question, but Mettaton swiftly clarified. “The Rift isn’t here.”

“What do you mean it isn’t here?” Dogamy demanded. “It was just there!” he exclaimed softly.

“Sans, was this your doing?” Papyrus narrowed his gaze at his brother.

“Nope,” the skeleton replied, then he raised a hand. “Just give me a minute, lemme see if I can figure this out.”

He closed his sockets and stood stock still for a few agonizingly long minutes. Finally, he opened them and looked back to the others.

“I got it. The Rift… seems to be missing.”


	21. Role Model

“Missing!?” the rest of the group outside of Mettaton exclaimed in a panic. 

Mettaton raised his hands. “Wait--let’s try to figure this out!” Thankfully, the group had gotten used to adjusting to these situations. Gerson breathed out, while Muffet clenched her hands tight. There were the faint sounds of flames snapping, as well as a worried moan from the little ghost. 

The skeleton seemed to frown and muttered to himself for a moment.

“Yeah, I know. It was… never mind.” He looked back up. “It’s still here, sort of. Apparently there was a... temporal disturbance of sorts. It threw our worlds slightly out of alignment. The hole is still there, but we can’t access it right now… and it might not be where it was when we came through.”

“Then...it’s only missing?” Muffet managed. “It’ll come back?”

“It’s not even missing… technically speaking. It just doesn’t currently exist within the same laws of space-time as we do.”

“In English for those who barely know how all of this works in the first place?” Gerson asked. “Is it coming back?”

Sans was quiet for a few moments, then he nodded. 

“It’s definitely coming back. The problem is, we don’t have any guarantee on where or when. I don’t think it’ll take more than… a few days? A week tops?” he shrugged, the fabric of his hoodie shifting over his bones. “I’m not an expert on this stuff, but I will do whatever I can to find out, and hopefully speed up the process a bit for ya.”

“Oh no…” Napstablook moaned. 

Grillby raised his head. “We can manage a day or two so long as we can find it again...though I am a bit concerned with leaving things on our side unattended for that long...” Some relief flooded through the group...but...Muffet was nervously wringing her hands, and Dogamy looked akin to a kicked puppy as a soft whine emitted from his throat. 

“In the meantime, you should go let the others know,” The skeleton said quietly. “We may need to set up food and a place to stay for you. I’m gonna head home and see if I can narrow down when and where this thing’ll pop back up.” 

Sans took a step backwards, vanishing before his foot hit the ground.

The group looked at each other in concern. “Grillby,” Muffet murmured.

“It’ll be all right, dear,” he stated quietly. “The where doesn’t matter as much as the when. The worst case scenario seems to just be staying here a few extra days.”

Gerson nodded. “So long as that whatchamacallit reopens, I’m fine with that.”

Dogamy looked back to where the rift had been, ears drooping low as he suppressed the urge to whine again. 

Papyrus looked around the group.

“Not to worry, friends! While I admit I’m not completely certain what’s going on, despite my brother's laziness, he can work really hard sometimes! Everything will turn out alright, Papyrus guaranteed!”

Mettaton smiled, rolling with the skeleton’s mood. “I’m sure he’s right, everyone. We just need a little time. Considering how things go, we’ll surely figure this out pretty quick.”

Frisk still quietly groaned into Rex’s shoulder. They weren’t sure if they could handle being on this side of the Rift that long…or if their side could handle it...

 

The smell of cooking filled Toriel and Asgore’s house, and the sound of the two Boss Monsters could easily be heard from where the otherworlders were gathered in the living room. After realizing that the Rift was inaccessible, and would continue to be for some time, the couple had insisted that the group come back to their house while they figured things out. 

As evening had arrived, the two had retreated to their kitchen, and had been working furiously for some time now. It seemed they were devoted to ensuring that their guests were as comfortable as they could be while in their current predicament.

“I can’t believe I have to catch up on homework… now of all times.” Frisk grumbled from his spot on the staircase, papers spread out around him.

“It wouldn’t be a problem if you didn’t put off all your work till the last minute,” his sister commented smugly, walking down the stairs and maneuvering herself around him.

Frisk threw a glare at her, then narrowed his eyes in confusion.

“Chara… does Kid still have your locket?”

His sister looked down in surprise, as if just realizing it was gone.

“I guess so…”

“I can’t remember the last time you took that thing off, I figured you’d’ve taken that back a while ago.”

She shrugged softly. 

“I’ll get it back at some point.”

The Human teen’s eyes narrowed in concern.

“Are you alright? I know how important that thing is to you…”

“Just focus on your homework okay?” Irritation had entered Chara’s synthetic voice. “I’m fine.”

The young Rex stepped forward as their friend’s counterpart returned to his work with a groan They looked at the mess, idly wondering where their own Frisk had disappeared to this time. “Yo...that’s a lot of work.” They found an empty spot on the stairs, looking it over.

“I know…” The teen groaned, watching his sister settle down in an armchair out of the corner of his eye. “I’ve been behind almost since school started up, every time I think I’m caught up again, someone assigns a ton of homework. It just had to be math this time too.” 

He grabbed at a sheet of paper and stared at it, then ran a hand across his face, the other waving the paper about.

“I mean, look at this! Solve x=y+10 given that x is a variable with a common denominator of... “ his voice trailed off as he shook his head. “What does it mean? Who cares? I’d rather be back in the Underground with everyone trying to steal my soul again than do this…”

“...what language are you studying?”

“I dunno, but whoever invented it is seriously making me reconsider this whole pacifist thing…”

Rex tilted their head with a hum of confusion, not understanding that at all.

“Need some help there?” Gerson asked as he entered the area, lured in by their voices.

“Be my guest, if you think you can figure any of this out.” The boy gestured at the spread of paper and textbooks around him. “When am I ever going to use any of this anyway?” He muttered to himself.

“Probably never for about half of the nonsense they’re putting on your papers,” Gerson replied. “What is this? Algebra?” With a soft groan he settled himself down near the boy. 

“Algebra… ancient Egyptian… who knows?”

“I think you might be over exaggerating there a bit, champ,” Chara called from her position.

Frisk glared at her. 

“Shut up, brainiac,”

Gerson picked up the piece of paper, eyeing it. “Algebra--in my opinion--is the answer, and they make you go back and figure out the problem. Anyways, here…” He pulled out a piece of paper and a writing utensil. “Now, let’s go through this step by step--and pay attention, or you’re not gonna get it.”

Meanwhile, soft voices could be heard from the kitchen, if one was close enough to hear them around the clattering of pots and cooking. The only one who was, however, situated in the entryway, was the younger Frisk.

“I’m not sure about those ones though.” Toriel sighed. “This is very important… I want to get her name right.” 

“Well, we do still have a few months to figure it out, dear,” came Asgore’s voice. “Rome was not built in a day, as they say.”

Frisk looked up from where they sat in the hallway, their ear fins twitching. Curious to the conversation, they crept toward the doorway, but stayed outside of it, not wanting to actually become a part of it.

Now that they were closer, they could see Toriel flattening dough with a rolling pin, while Asgore was stirring something in a boiling pot. The female Boss Monster gave a little hum of concentration.

“Rya? Sophia? Talahuviel? No…”

“Talahuviel?” Asgore asked in surprise. “I haven’t heard that one since before the War.”

His wife shrugged. 

“I’m willing to try just about anything at this point. And there were some lovely names back then.”

“Perhaps you could take some inspiration from Emerald?” Asgore suggested. “She has a nice name, and perhaps that is a good theme to go with?”

Toriel was silent for a few moments, thinking. 

“Hmm, Ruby, Sapphire, Amber… I will have to think on those.” She shot a glance at her husband. “I’m impressed, Fluffybuns, perhaps one can teach an old dog new tricks.”

The two laughed softly, then each turned to face the other, smiling and stepping close to nuzzle at each other before breaking apart.

Frisk’s dual colored eyes widened, and then they backed up a moment, covering their face, shaking their whole form. Now they had a slight idea of what Gerson had meant when they had visited him after the barrier broke. Though they bit their lip, a hand on a horn as they shuffled white furred feet. It hurt a little to listen to...but it was better than the suffocating silence in their head, plus, they were curious if they would keep thinking up names.

“Still,” Toriel said, putting the rolling pin to the side and transferring the flattened dough into a pie bowl. “Don’t be surprised if I throw a few more out there, I want to make sure it’s perfect.”

“Fine by me.” The former king chuckled. “I’m all ears.”

“Bella is a nice one…” Toriel said after a moment. “And I’ve always thought Jezebel had a nice ring to it....” She shook her head in frustration. “Oh, there are so many good ones… it’s so hard to choose!”

The little Frisk watched, listening to the names. They thought back to Asriel, his image coming to them in their mind. It had been a bit of a clever name--though certainly of Asgore’s doing due to how it was formed. 

Toriel...Asgore...two names could make a new one. They did it once, certainly it could be done again? Frisk could hear more names being murmured, but still… Toriel...Asgore… Ri. As…

“Rias,” they stated quietly, testing it out without thinking.

The two Boss Monsters turned, both looking at the child in the doorway.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Toriel asked gently.

They jerked, and shuffled out of sight, before slowly poking their head back in. “...Rias…” they mumbled. 

“Rias? What does that-” Toriel’s eyes widened as it clicked. “Was that… your suggestion for a name?”

They mumbled something incoherently with a nod, assuring that it was what they had meant, but, realizing that their mumbles couldn’t be heard, they spoke a bit louder. “It...fits your theme,” they insisted.

The couple looked at each other and chuckled lightly.

“Rias… I like that.” Asgore rumbled.

“So do I. It would appear that we needed a fresh mind to help with this one.” She smiled at the horned Frisk. “Thank you, little one. We will certainly consider the suggestion.”

They looked up in surprise, and then yanked their hood over their face in embarrassment before slowly shuffling their way back out of the kitchen.

Asgore gave his wife an apologetic grin.

“They’re still shy, apparently.”

The woman sighed in response, her gaze lingering on where the child had been.

“I just wish I could help them…”

“You can help them fill their belly at least. Who knows? Perhaps the little one will be more responsive on a full stomach….”

 

After dinner, and the former Royals cleaning up, the Dreemurr family sat down with the otherworlders in the living room. They were quickly joined by Alphys and Undyne, as well as Sans and Papyrus, all at Toriel’s behest. The living room was a little crowded, but with a few of the occupants seated on the carpeted floor, it certainly was not uncomfortably so.

“Well, Sans,” Toriel began, looking to the short skeleton. “I believe we should start with you? Did you learn anything about why the Rift disappeared?”

“I might have figured out a few things… enough to stop something like this from happening again, anyway.” Sans slouched back into the couch, sinking slightly into the soft cushions. “Still haven’t been able to pin down where or when it’s gonna pop back up though. But I did set up an ‘early bird’ system of sorts. 

“If it works like it’s supposed to… then I should get an alert maybe half an hour before the Rift shows up again… give us at least some idea of the when at least.”

“There’s something,” Mettaton murmured from where he leaned against the wall to take up as little space as possible. “And that gets us a heads up to get ready so that we can hunt it down.”

“That sounds nice…” Napstablook managed where they rested on the robot’s shoulders. 

“Well, I’m glad that’s coming along.” Toriel smiled. “Now, what are we going to do for sleeping arrangements for you all? We have the couch and a spare room here, but I do not think we can hold all of you…”

“Well,” Alphys spoke up hesitantly “We have some space at our place, it’s not much but…”

“I’m fine with a couch,” Dogamy assured. 

“And Blooky and I don’t need much,” Mettaton added. “I can power down right here even,” he stated. “Though, I wouldn’t mind a proper spot for Blooky as they’re still recovering.”

“Sorry…”

“I told you to stop apologizing for that…” 

Gerson shrugged. “I’m not too finicky either--but the two love birds--”

“Gerson,” Muffet muttered.

“Will probably need something more than a couch--even if they are too polite for their own good.” Then he glanced to the children. “They could probably survive with that…” Though Gerson wasn’t too keen on the idea, and he knew Frisk would want a more sheltered area.

“Fortunately, most of you won’t have to deal with that kind of thing.” Chara said, walking into the room from the kitchen. “I was just on the phone with Kid, and he says that Napstablook is willing to let us use the house for space. It’s a pretty big place, and they’ve still got excess furniture from… before.” She looked to her mother.

“Also, I’d like to spend the night over there, Mom.”

“I don’t know…” Toriel mused. “Tomorrow is a school day…”

“He’s got school too, Mom. We can go there together. Besides, this’ll free up my room for you guys to use tonight.” She gave the Boss Monster a pleading glance.

Toriel still hesitated for a moment before giving in.

“Very well, just make sure to behave yourself alright? Especially since Napstablook is being kind enough to let us use his home…”

Grillby looked up. “There seems to enough places, we just have to figure out who goes where.” 

Muffet paused. “There sounds like a lot of room at their Napstablook’s…”

“Probably the best for you two,” Dogamy stated. “I can take you there--and if there’s a couch left over…” He shrugged, and then looked to the robot. “You and your cousin should stay at Alphys’s and Undyne’s.”

Mettaton seemed to raise a brow as he folded his arms. “Is that just to escape doctor’s orders?” 

Dogamy smirked. “How am I going to listen to them if you’re suddenly out of order and no one with any know-how is there to reboot you because of some delayed interference with the Rift?”

“You are an infuriating patient, just so you are aware.”

Gerson glanced to Frisk. “Sounds like you might get a room to yourself with the way this is going.”

“Yo…” Rex murmured. “I could have the couch here, Gerson.”

The turtle raised a brow. “What are ya getting at?”

“...neither of us want you to fall on your shell,” the reptile mumbled.

“Well then, Gerson can have the spare room, and your Frisk can take Chara’s.” Toriel clapped her hands together firmly. “Does that account for everyone then?”

Grillby and Muffet looked around, taking quiet notes, and seemed to be in agreement as Grillby nodded. “It sounds like these arrangements can work,” the fire elemental said.

“Then,” Dogamy stated as he rose. “Sounds like we should start moving soon,” he continued as he ignored Mettaton’s glare.

“Welp, guess we should head back then, Paps,” Sans noted, looking up to his brother. “Gonna be a long day tomorrow.”

“Wait, are you not teleporting back?” The taller skeleton asked in confusion.

“Nah, I still got some stuff I want to talk to you about on the way.”

Papyrus looked confusedly around the room.

“Alright Sans, where are you hiding? I know this can’t be you, I’m not falling for that again!”

Grillby’s flames began to crackle softly as he bit back a small bit of amusement. “You have to wonder,” he joked gently.

Sans threw a look to the fire elemental.

“Aw c’mon, Grillbz, I’m not that bad!”

“If you ladies are quite finished,” Chara said, shrugging on her leather jacket. “Everyone coming out to Kid’s place can come with me, it’s not too far from here.”

In a moment, Dogamy had the worn out couple again. “Well, I suppose we’re ready if you are,” the dog replied, while Grillby’s flames dimmed. 

“I guess we’re stuck with the cousins, huh?” Undyne grinned. “Alright punks, come on, let’s hit the road!”

Mettaton smiled. “It seems we’re going now, Blooky.”

Gerson looked over. “Where’s this room for our Frisk? Rex can take them up there now--it’s getting late.”

“Upstairs,” Asgore said, rising. “Here, I will show you where.”

“And Chara! I had better not find out you used this as an excuse to skip out on school young lady!” Toriel called as the robotic girl led her group to the entryway. 

The turtle shook his head. “Rex, take them--I’m not climbing stairs if I don’t have to.”

Rex smiled, slipping off their seat. “Coming, Frisk?” The child nodded, and slipped down, quietly grabbing onto the collar of Rex’s shirt.

“I suppose that it’s about time for us all to retire,” Asgore murmured, a yawn breaking his features as he led the children up the stairs. 

“I can get behind that,” the teen Frisk muttered, distractedly rubbing at an eye. “See you later guys.” He waved to Alphys’s group as he spoke, managing a smile as he did so.

“Gerson, the spare room is just over there,” Toriel pointed to the door right beside the couch as she spoke. “It should be fully stocked, though if you need anything, please let us know.”

“Hold on a second,” Gerson murmured to the former Queen. “Before everyone hits the road...” He looked up to her slowly. “I want to talk to a handful of you about something.”

Papyrus looked over from where he had been lingering in the entryway, and Toriel turned to give the elderly turtle a questioning look. 

He folded his arms. “You, your husband, the brothers...the Urchin, and Alphys. I have a question for the six of you.” He shrugged. “Should only take a few minutes.”

Mettaton paused at the door of the living room. “Gerson?”

“I rather keep it to the six, Mettaton. Can you wait out front if they agree?”

“Of course.”

Papyrus leaned out of sight for a moment, though his voice was still easily audible.

“Sans! Hang on a moment! Gerson wishes to speak with us!”

Undyne and Alphys also filed back, seating themselves at the couch and watching Gerson closely. 

Asgore quickly reappeared at the top of the stairs, frowning slightly as he looked down at the group.

“Did I miss something?” he asked.

“Nothing too much,” Gerson murmured. “Got a few minutes to talk to an old Monster?” He adjusted himself, sitting tall, hands folded quietly.

“For you? Always.” The former king chuckled, making his way down and settling himself into the reading chair, his gaze joining that of the other five Monsters as they looked at the elderly turtle.

“All right,” the turtle stated quietly once it was just them. “To cut a long story short--our Frisk has been having nightmares--unfortunately that’s nothing new, but, ever since the draining… I’ve been hearing something quite often from them when they mutter. They claim to not remember when I ask about it. It could be the truth… You might not have the answer either, but I figured I could ask you while I had you all here, then try to track it down elsewhere.”

He looked at them quietly. “Does this mean anything to you…? ‘Just give up, I did?’ They’re not ones to think like that, so...I’d like to figure out the origin--maybe finally talk it out to them if they’re trying to dodge conversation.” He shrugged. “I’m just worried about them.”

The Monsters looked at each other in confusion, brows furrowing as they racked their brains for an answer. All except for one.

Sans had closed his sockets, and was rubbing a boney hand across his skull.

“Frisk… I keep telling ya, you really shouldn’t be using me as a role-model,” the skeleton muttered to himself, his voice so low the others could barely hear him. 

“What was that, Sans?” Asgore asked, turning to look where the short skeleton stood. At the sudden attention, Sans’s sockets opened and, though his ever-present grin remained, he seemed sadder somehow. 

“That's uh… that’s my line,” he admitted quietly. “If things went down there the same way they did here… I may have said that to Frisk once or twice during uh… especially rough spots.” His grin became bitter. “Seems like they may have taken it a little more to heart than they should have.”

Gerson breathed out quietly, closing his eyes for a few moments. “Well, there’s the origin point,” he said softly, his voice not hinting at any bitterness, and only quiet confirmation.

“Sans! That doesn’t sound like positive reinforcement at all!” Papyrus scolded. “You need to tell Frisk not to listen to that, and tell them how great they are!”

Sans looked up in surprise. 

“They’ve already gone to bed Paps… and you’re way better at that kind of thing than me anyways.”

“Fine, you can wait until morning,” the taller skeleton relented. “But! You must still fix your mistake! In the morning! If they listened to you saying things like that, then they’ll listen to you when you correct it!”

“That might be a good course of action,” Gerson replied quietly. “They dodge it with me whenever I try to ask them about it--and while I could say that our Sans could talk to them... I have no idea when that could even happen.” 

“That’s a very good idea, Papyrus,” Toriel supplied. 

“Of course! All of my ideas are great! And of course, I will make sure little Frisk knows that they have my full support and attention! With the great Papyrus guiding them, they cannot help but to succeed!”

“That’s right!” Undyne enthused. “Don’t worry old man, we’ll get you guys home, and get your Frisk in better condition than they’ve ever been before!”

The turtle smiled. “That’s a good thing to hear,” he replied, before slowly standing with a tired sigh. “Well, I think I kept the lot of you long enough.”

“Yes, we need to get home!” Papyrus exclaimed, rising, his movements mimicked by Alphys and Undyne. “Sans and I need to work on what he’s going to say to little Frisk in the morning!”

“Papyrus…” the short skeleton groaned.

“Don’t Papyrus me, Sans! This needs to be done with proper Papyrus care! As your elder brother, it is my-”

“What do you mean, “elder brother”?” Sans asked as they began walking of the room. “We’re the same age!”

“Not true! I was born nearly five seconds before you were! Therefore, that makes me the eldest!”

Gerson shook his head in amusement. “Well,” he murmured, before looking to the formerly royal couple. “I think I’ll be turning in.”


	22. Far too Precious

Hours later, the fusion woke, and on instinct, they clasped their fingers over their mouth to muffle their cry. They breathed heavily, shutting their eyes. A nightmare...always another nightmare. Honestly, they should be used to it now. Frisk sat there, breathing heavily, until their heart slowed the rapid pounding it was doing.

Frisk hated this. They wouldn't be able to go to back to bed, but they couldn't just go out and wander alone due to being stuck on another world so different from their own. Slowly, they slipped out of bed, adjusting their sweater, before quietly leaving the room, looking down the long hall, lit only by a few nightlights so that night wanderers wouldn't smack their face into anything.

The little child crept along, they were always a quiet soul, but nowadays, one would be lucky to hear them sneaking around. Even Dogamy had to be on guard for their soft steps, though usually, it was his nose that told him they were there nowadays.

Not that it mattered right now. Frisk wasn't sneaking past him. However, Frisk stopped, looking nervously to the door that would lead to Asgore and Toriel's room. They trembled, and pressed an ear carefully to it. Hearing nothing, Frisk shakily reached out, grabbing the doorknob, and slowly opened it.

They creaked it open just enough to get their head in, their eyes taking in the darkness, heart thumping loudly. However, when they caught a glimpse of the two boss monsters inside, their shoulders sank in relief. They watched silently for a few moments, their shadow falling into the room, but they jerked away and they quickly ducked back out, closing the door, and headed down the hall.

Of course they would be fine...this wasn't Frisk's world where everything was wrong. They bit their lip, heading down the stairs, not even sure where they were trying to go. Just...anywhere but to bed. They didn't want to go back to those dark dreams.

Another night, another failure...Frisk couldn't take that, especially now that their days and nights were strangely silent. They went downstairs, and crawled onto the couch next to Rex in the living room, staring blankly at the television screen. Asgore and Toriel...it was a strange concept for them to be living together...and expecting a child.

Would it have been that way? Frisk shuddered, refusing to let tears fall. They were tired of that, and every time they thought they could stop, take a step forward, and put things in the past, something would knock them down, and the tears would fall. Everything about this world was right...

So why was theirs so wrong? Frisk sighed, covering their face briefly. It wasn't their fault, it wasn't their fault, it wasn't their fault... They got up, and moved to the kitchen, hoping to maybe drown out those thoughts. Maybe they should wake Gerson...but they'd get a drink first, if only to procrastinate on making a choice.

As always, little Frisk had to find a stepstool to get up on the counter, get a cup, and then finally fill it up. They sat on the counter edge, slowly drinking. Tonight wouldn't be so bad. They'd pull through, just like with every other night.

Upstairs, Toriel's eyes blinked open and the white-furred Boss Monster let out a huge yawn. She had thought she had heard a clicking sound, but looking over to her husband, she found him still fast asleep, his mouth hanging open and his tongue lolling out, dangerously close to caressing the pillow.

She stifled a giggle and slowly pulled herself out of bed. She supposed she should get used to waking up at strange hours, now that she was a few months along. She gently caressed her stomach, letting a soft smile shine forth at the feeling of the still barely noticeable baby bump. It was still hard to believe that she was going to have a child again.

She quietly made her way to the door and walked through into the hallway, looking for a moment towards Chara's room. The other world's Frisk was in there, and she debated going in to check on them. From what she'd heard, the child had had horrible experiences in their world... she hoped that they would be able to take some comfort in this one.

Soft footfalls accompanied her as she walked down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. Perhaps she would have a drink or a snack before she went back to bed.

Frisk quietly had their drink, swinging their legs. It was strangely silent in their mind...usually someone would have said something by now. They finished their drink, only to hear someone coming into the kitchen. They gave a startled gasp, jumping down, looking around wildly, and then, realizing they were out of options-they opened the cupboard under the sink and jumped in, closing the doors behind them, hoping beyond all hope that they wouldn't be found.

It wasn't comfortable though. Frisk had to lay on their side so that their horns wouldn't hit the top of their hiding place, and they reached to keep the doors shut, and their tail ended up pinned under something as they shared the small space with bowls, pots, pans, and goodness knows what other clutter.

Toriel paused as she heard a clattering noise from the kitchen, then hurried inside, her eyes quickly lighting on a cupboard door that was just closing with a snick. She blinked in confusion, then padded over to it, crouching down before experimentally tugging on the handle.

It gave more resistance than she thought it should, so she pulled harder, finally wrenching it open and revealing the child within, their head bent at an uncomfortable angle to allow for their horns. She looked at them, a small smile hovering at her lips.

"Child, what are you doing in there? You are not a pot. Are you going on _pan_ adventure?"

Realizing that they had been found, Frisk scrambled as far back as the clutter would allow, and then grabbed at their slightly loose attire, dragging it down to cover their feet and then covered their eyes on the more childish mindset of 'if I can't see them, they can't see me'.

Toriel looked at the child for a moment, her smile fading and sadness rising in her eyes at their display of fear. From what she had heard, the little one had been through far more than they ever should have.

She scooped up the cup that lay discarded on the floor beside the cabinet and rose, placing it gently on the counter. She took a couple of steps to the fridge and opened it, pulling out a piece of butterscotch-cinnamon pie.

She opened her palm, allowing flames to flicker to life in her white-furred hand, quickly warming up the piece to the point where it might as well have been freshly baked. Monster food did not spoil, after all.

She grabbed a small plate from another cupboard, before returning to the little Frisk's hiding place, placing the plate at the edge of the cupboard. In her time in the Underground, she had been around many children that were fearful of her, and she had found that having something to eat often helped distract from the fear.

"Here, child," she said softly. "There is food, if you wish it."

Frisk looked at it. Butterscotch-Cinnamon pie... Their Toriel had made it quite often when she had been around, but...after that-it all stopped. Perhaps if Frisk could actually have seen the top of the kitchen counter, Toriel would have tried baking pies, despite not being in her own body, but due to obvious hassles, there just simply wasn't an attempt.

It had been so long.

This pie was the same, from appearance, to smell, and Frisk's love for it began to betray them, but they were still not coming out easily, but, finally, the promise of the pie won out, and they slowly reached out a hand.

Carefully, they grabbed the plate, and drew it inside with them, remaining in the cupboard, shifting their position to somehow find a more comfortable way to be in there and eat the treat.

Toriel was disappointed, but not surprised at the child's reticence to leave the hiding spot. She sighed, and returned to the fridge, selecting a slice for herself and heating it up the same way before returning. She did not go all the way to the cupboard this time however, instead, she seated herself in the middle of the kitchen floor, facing Frisk's hiding spot.

She positioned herself so that she was just in the young one's line of sight, and began eating her own slice, watching the child with a compassionate look on her face.

Frisk nibbled on it, their dual-colored eyes glancing around the kitchen, analyzing the situation. Technically cornered in the moment, the child was looking for an escape route. If they could get out of the kitchen, they could go and hunt down Gerson for safety-they just either had to make a break for it and not get caught-or somehow outlast Toriel.

They had a feeling it wasn't going to be the latter.

"It can't be comfortable in there," Toriel said, already halfway through her slice. "You are more than welcome to come and eat out here. We do not want your neck to get cramped, now do we?"

At first, it seemed the child was going to be content with staying put. However, their horns were heavy, making their neck sore as it was, and their tail was being pinched between a pot and its lid. Frisk slid the plate out, and then crawled forward awkwardly, trying to keep their feet hidden. They got out, closed the cupboard...and then sat down in front of it, eating the pie there instead.

Well, at least they weren't in the cupboard anymore...

Toriel gave Frisk a warm smile to encourage them. She ate the rest of her slice in silence, though she kept her gaze on the child.

"Why are you up so late?" she questioned softly, leaning forward but keeping a respectful distance between herself and the young one. "You had a long day today, and you seemed upset when you came back. Is the disappearance of the Rift troubling you?"

The child gave a shrug, using the pie as an excuse to not talk-at least right away. The Rift troubling them was only part of the whole problem, and not one they wanted to concern others about. Still, the chances of escaping this conversation seemed to be slim to none. Toriel was good at this thing, and while Frisk knew a thing or two...this wasn't their Toriel, and they don't know what tricks worked or not.

Toriel gave a little sigh.

"You do not have to speak of it if you do not wish to," she said. "However... you have been through much, child. If there is something you would like to talk about... I am willing to listen."

The child had nibbled their way through about a third of their slice. When not in battle, Frisk was a very slow eater, savoring every bite. They were quiet, poking at their pie, before mumbling very quietly to the point that even Dogamy would have asked them to repeat what they had said.

Toriel raised her left hand to lift up an ear and turn it towards Frisk in an overdramatic display.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that? My ears don't seem to be working so well tonight..."

There was more quiet mumbling, and then they took another bite of their pie to buy themselves time and avoid answering. They were somehow even slower than before, and then they quietly mumbled, until finally, some of the words, were actually audible. "...it's nothing to worry about..."

"I am a mother," Toriel stated simply. "I will worry regardless. Besides... don't you think you deserve to be worried over after all you've been through? At least a little?"

They looked away. "...everybody does that already...don't need to add to it."

Toriel scooted a few inches closer inconspicuously. "You are not a burden," she stated simply. "You are holding no one back. Your fears... whatever is bothering you... you are not alone." She gave a sad smile. "I would not be much of a mother if I simply abandoned a child in need... now would I?"

Frisk shook their head. "No...my M-my Toriel's the same..." Though it seemed that while they were talking, they were pulling up other topics instead. They then took another slow bite of their pie, seemingly making it to the halfway point.

Toriel simply waited, watching the child.

Frisk grumbled inwardly. "Nothing's new..."

Toriel was a lot like Grillby, now that Frisk was thinking about it.

Frisk didn't fully like that concept.

"Just dreams..." they reluctantly explained.

"I do not think "Just dreams" would be enough to have you attempting to become one with the tupperware," Toriel said in amusement.

"I...just didn't expect anyone else to be up...?" the child questioned in an attempt to make a feeble excuse.

"Frisk," Toriel said gently, the name feeling odd when applied to someone other than her son. "You do not have to make excuses for me, and I will not force you to tell me anything. But perhaps you would feel better for it." She chuckled. "And perhaps it would help you get over your... hesitance around us. I overheard Papyrus calling Mettaton to ask for instructions on how to properly apply makeup in an attempt to "Allow tiny Frisk to safely approach the loveable Papyrus."

Frisk jerked, and looked over, blinking rapidly, and then shook their head, silently mouthing a 'no' to the last part.

Toriel shook in silent laughter.

"I will admit it's not the greatest of ideas he has ever had, but he has made it his personal mission to make you smile. And once Papyrus has set his mind to something..."

Frisk covered their face with a soft little moan, before glancing up. "He should try cheering Aunt Muffet up instead," they insisted. "A lot has happened recently...it's just bad timing with the Rift..."

"I spoke with Muffet earlier," Toriel assured the child "And as wonderful as he is, I don't know that Papyrus's... particular style of encouragement will be so helpful in this case." She gave a slight grimace for a brief moment. "I do not know if I was much help either... but at least I understand what she is going through." One hand fell upon her belly. "I know what it means to lose a child..." she murmured.

Frisk looked up quietly, and then glanced around, before slowly inching over to Toriel's side, never getting onto their feet. Then, they quietly hugged her leg, not saying a single word. They knew their Toriels shared the same fate...and sadly, Asriel could not be returned in either dimension.

Toriel gratefully twisted her body, wrapping the small one in her warm embrace. She smiled as the child's horns pressed into her torso, briefly wondering what it would be like to have a child of her own with beautiful horns like this Frisk did. Well, she would find out eventually. She had waited this long, she could do so a little longer.

"But do not think I have not noticed you changing the subject, my child," she said, playfully tweaking the little one's fins. "You have yet to give me a straight answer."

"...they're not crooked answers at least..."

Toriel snorted.

"Well, they weren't up until you said that at least..."

"Sorry, pun master's not here right now, gotta make do..."

Toriel nuzzled the child in between their horns before swiftly scooping them up and carrying them to one of the reading chairs, before sitting down with Frisk in her lap.

The child became quite alert at that, ear fins wiggling as they looked up uncertainty at Toriel, tucking their legs in like a little animal might do when being carried. The form of affection was foreign to them now, as they bit their lip, trying to figure out how they could somehow weave out of it again, but they were running out of ways to dodge the inevitable.

Toriel stroked the child's hair, quietly humming the tune of the music box her children had gone to sleep to every night so long ago. Frisk would eventually break down and speak... or they wouldn't. The best she could do right now, was be a comforting presence for them.

She felt the child stiffen at first, and slowly, they curled up tight, burying their face in their hands, eventually starting to shudder. Frisk knew the tune well, as it played in the statue at Waterfall, and Frisk would go there to listen to it. It was where they went to be alone-for the most part.

It was where they went to fall apart, when hardly anyone would be there to find them. And so, even here, the tune had the same result, as Frisk was just a bottle full of emotions, and they had to eventually come out. Frisk jerked, choking on a sob, feeling tears escape, and desperately, they tried to wipe them away, for they were another oddity.

They weren't normal tears, and they were somewhat fluorescent, blue or orange, depending on which eye had shed them.

Toriel continued humming, holding the child close to her chest as they wept. She took note of the strange tears trickling down the child's face.

"Still beautiful, even when you're crying," she murmured, her voice barely audible. She had long since guessed at Frisk's insecurities about their form... it wasn't really that hard to tell.

Frisk wiped their tears away stubbornly, trying to compose themselves. Crying was another thing they hated doing-especially in front of others-which, in their case, was all the time until recently. They focused on steadying their breath, still gasping softly a few times as they did so.

"There is no shame in crying," Toriel said gently, beginning to rock gently back and forth. For the hundredth time, she made the note to try and find a proper rocking chair in her size, especially now with another child on the way.

The child shook their head with a protesting grunt. Perhaps not, but there had to be shame in crying as much as they did, when they were certain they had shed enough tears to fill the Abyss and then some. They bit their lip, quivering, steadily recovering.

Toriel had a feeling she wasn't going to win this particular argument, so she dropped it, just continuing her ministrations. She'd already pulled the child this far out of their shell, she didn't want to ruin it with a pointless discussion. She just hoped that the little Frisk would continue to be responsive... for their own sake.

At long last, the child recovered from their breakdown, and were silent, curled up against Toriel, awake, but not actually doing anything, as if lost in thought, or just waiting on Toriel to see what would happen next.

"So, child?" Toriel finally asked. "What is it that has been bothering you?"

Frisk gave a shrug-but then actually added a reply after it, at long last. "...happy endings..."

Well, it was a start, at least.

"You believe that things here are better than in your own world," The Boss Monster guessed. "That is why you have been so hesitant around us. Perhaps you even believe that we have something your world lacks?"

"Yours isn't broken..." Frisk mumbled, starting to fiddle with one of the knots that tied the scarf around their hand. "Everything's working out..."

"It is now..." Toriel relented. "But such was not always the case. We had to get through dark times to get to where we are now. A being with great power came very near to destroying us all a few years ago, Frisk was rendered comatose for several months after that battle and Undyne was very nearly killed." She grimaced. "Even just a few months ago, Kid was badly injured, to the point where we were unsure if he would survive."

Her voice trembled slightly, and she unconsciously gripped the child a little tighter. "I had to watch my daughter narrowly evade falling into insanity, and prepare measures to try and protect her from herself, should that happen."

The child's eyes dimmed, not sure how they could continue on with the conversation. It seemed every dimension was just dead set on ruining the happy ending-and this one was just lasting longer-but maybe it would end up falling too. And how could Frisk voice the hurt, without consequence? How could Frisk explain that they'd never have an Alexander, or a little sibling, and that was what Frisk wanted more than anything.

However, Frisk was tired of trying to fix things-only to see them break further. One wrong move-and maybe the peace here in this dimension would shatter too. Frisk opened their mouth to speak, but words were becoming stubborn, and refused to go from thoughts, to speech.

"The point is," Toriel continued, gently booping the child's nose to make sure she still had their attention. "Our world is not perfect. Even now, there are things in your world that are better than ours. Your Kid still has his family, for instance. And while I love my son dearly..." A hand shot out to grasp at the child's fuzzy feet. "He doesn't have adorable toes like you.

"You're going through a dark time. You have been going through dark times for far too long. But there is still hope things can get better. I spoke with your friends a little... all of us still live on in you, do we not? If you make it through the hard times, you may find yourself rewarded with that which you desire most. You just have to hold on, and never lose sight of that."

Frisk gave a squeak of alarm, instinctively trying to cover their feet again, and once they had deemed themselves 'safe' from Toriel's 'attacks', they slumped a little. "I haven't heard from them..." Frisk murmured. "I usually hear them, but...not since then...they're still here, but...they might not wake up."

That, was the main source of worry, for the time being. It was hard to hope, when Frisk suddenly felt empty like that, the comforting murmurs of their friends and family-just gone, with no promise that it would come back.

"I know how that feels. Believe me. And the waiting is... incredibly hard." Toriel murmured. "But I believe.. that they will come back." She grinned.

"But I'm sure it'll get a little crowded in there once it is. I remember when Frisk and Chara were sharing a body... and they got into some intense arguments growing up. You should have seen them fighting for control in a candy shop!"

"...was there still a candy shop afterwards?" Frisk asked in a quiet mumble, but giving a nod of confirmation, and quietly added: "There's gonna be headaches when they do..."

Lots of headaches.

"Fortunately, they both loved the store enough to keep from breaking anything important," Toriel chuckled. "They usually managed to agree on things, but when they clashed... well, it was really best for everyone when Chara got her own body."

"Wonder if our Chara woulda done that," Frisk murmured. "I don't know mine that well," they admitted. "What's your Chara like?"

"She's strong, outspoken, and genuinely cares about her friends. She's a lot like Undyne in many ways, though she does have a better grasp on subtlety than our beloved fish-warrior." Her smile softened as she talked about her daughter.

"She's very passionate, and she works very hard at the things she's interested in. Her role as ambassador, her training with Undyne... Kid." Her smile faltered slightly. "I'm afraid you're not seeing her at her best right now. She's been having nightmares again this past week. She tries to hide it but..." She trailed off.

"Guess we gotta lot in common..." Frisk murmured, finding the idea strange. They knew their true Chara was reserved-from what they could gather-and the other Chara they knew...they dropped the thought.

Frisk wanted to offer their aid, but was uncertain if they could truly help.

"I wish she would talk to me more..." Toriel said. "She keeps insisting that she's fine. Though she has become more responsive recently, after she found out I knew what her nightmares were about."

The child looked up, tilting their head-thankfully away from Toriel so that their horns didn't bump into her-though the points had been rounded off to avoid causing damage. "Try what you did with me, and do it with her?"

Except Chara probably didn't hide in cupboards.

"I am afraid that it will take more than pie to get my daughter to fully open up," Toriel said wryly. "Though I think Kid has been a good influence on her. She's opening up, bit by bit, though now I understand better why-" She cut off with a little gasp.

"Oh," she said quietly, then looked down at the child.

"From what little I've seen, our worlds follow different rules but... I have to ask. Can you..." she paused, searching for the word. "Reset?"

Frisk paused, and then slowly nodded. "Sorta...it doesn't work right anymore. When-" They stopped, thinking to find the right word. "The person that did this first came...they took the ability to do so. When I got it back...I couldn't reset back to save everyone...so I tried to save them by other means. That's why this happened."

The child sighed, hugging their legs. "I can save and do resets, still, but...it's not like before, so I try not to test it. I don't know what would happen if I reset now…"

Toriel nodded slowly.

"I see..." She looked away for a moment before continuing. "That power no longer exists here, but... Chara still bears scars from when it did. Her nightmares, when they strike, are almost always of the timeline before this one. I was wondering..." She glanced back at Frisk.

"You understand that power more than I ever will. I would like to ask... if you get the opportunity, would you speak to her? You may be able to give her a comfort I cannot... or at the least, help her open up more to us."

Frisk was quiet, their gaze unfocused as they thought it over. "I...I can try..." they murmured, rubbing their arms subconsciously, their fingers running gently over the red fabric. "I don't know how well I can do so-our stories seem to be different...but..." Frisk shrugged. "But I don't know...I don't want to break things..."

"If you live in fear of breaking things, then the only thing that will be truly broken is you. And you are far too precious to be broken so easily." Toriel smiled. "I will not insist, but if you should find the opportunity, I would be grateful."

"...then...I'll try-if I can," Frisk murmured uncertainly, before covering their mouth as they stifled a yawn, their eyes dimming, but they stayed awake.

"Thank you," Toriel replied, rubbing the space between the child's horns affectionately. "Do you think you're ready to return to bed? Or is there something else you need to talk about?"

"Mmm..." The child yawned, shaking their head as they slumped against her as sleep caught up to them. They shook their head at the idea of going back upstairs though. "Grandpa..." they mumbled, their eyes drooping to the point that they nearly closed. Frisk felt a little better at least, and that was a decent start.

Toriel smiled, lifting up the child and silently padding over to the door leading to the spare room where Gerson slumbered. She placed Frisk on the opposite side of the bed from the sleeping turtle and tucked them into the blankets.

"Sleep well, small one," she whispered tenderly. "Things will be better tomorrow."

Frisk tiredly looked up at her, and then wiggled their fingers in an improvised wave. "Good night..." they murmured, their eyes slowly closing.

"...thank you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, PetalThorn here! (The co-writer that you never see! XP ) Never uploaded to Archive before, so any mistakes is not Thrones messing up, it's me not knowing what I'm doing. Oh, why am I here--? 
> 
> Thrones is off to see family this weekend, so I'm handling the uploads, 
> 
> So...
> 
> Hi everybody~ Hope you're all enjoying the story~


	23. Began to Fade

Even as the young Frisk drifted off to sleep, in another house a few blocks away, the teenaged Kid woke with a start. He blinked his eyes and yawned widely, smacking scaly lips together and frowning when he realized how dry his mouth was. He needed to get a drink… that was probably what had woken him up in the first place. At least most of his magic seemed to have recovered already… he would probably be fine in the morning.

He carefully got out of bed, doing his best not to disturb the covers too much. Then he quietly crept out of his room, using his foot to press down on the door handle and letting himself out. He was mindful of his claws as he walked, not wanting the tapping sound to wake anyone up, especially since the dog Monster would have better hearing.

He managed to make it out to the kitchen without much fuss, tip-toeing past his sleeping girlfriend, who lay unmoving on the couch. He used his muzzle to turn on the faucet in the sink, then took a few moments to guzzle down the water that poured from it, quenching his thirst.

The boy turned off the water and paused, cocking his head to the side, grinning when he didn't hear any other noise. The stealthy ninja had successfully completed his mission, all he needed to do was get out without alerting any of the sleepers to his presence. A simple task for the mighty Kid!

The teen crept back out into the living room, still keeping his claws from touching the ground when Chara's eyes snapped open. She gave a small scream and sat bolt upright, the lights in her eye's brightening for a moment before dimming, her face twisting into an expression of anguish and despair. She immediately buried her face in her hands, her entire body shaking violently. She seemed oblivious to Kid's startled presence, beginning to moan into her hands.

"No… not him too… I… I can't…."

"Chara?" Kid asked in concern, approaching the robotic girl. "Are you o-"

His words were cut off as Chara whipped her head up to look at him, before reaching out and wrapping her arms around the teen, pulling him forcibly onto the couch beside her. She was shaking so hard that the motions moved Kid slightly with each tremor.

"Kid!" she managed, holding him tight. "You're alright! I… I didn't-"

"Of… of course I'm alright! Why-"

Kid was cut off yet again when the mechanical girl jerked violently, suddenly shoving him away and retreating to the other end of the couch, curling herself into a ball and clutching desperately at her head.

"Stay back! Don't come close! I don't want to hurt you too!"

Kid blinked, now utterly confused and more than a little worried about the girl. He cautiously leaned forward.

"Chara? What's wrong?"

The girl bit her lip and rocked herself back and forth, moaning loudly as she did so.

"I killed him. Asriel… my brother. It's my fault he died! I killed him!"

"Chara... " Kid scooted inconspicuously closer. "Yo… it was just a dream, you would never hurt anybody like that."

Chara froze at that, then a hysterical laugh tore itself from her lips. Somehow, the laughter chilled the boy to the depths of his soul, and he looked around fearfully, not sure what he could do… but knowing that he couldn't leave her like this.

As he debated calling Toriel and seeing if she could help, he realized that the laughter had stopped. He turned to look at the girl, and his magic pulsed in the Monster equivalent of his heart skipping a beat to find Chara staring silently at him.

"You really don't know anything about me, do you?" Her voice was mostly calm, though it trembled with an emotion that Kid was unable to identify.

"Yo! Of course I know you!" The boy exclaimed, momentarily forgetting his fear. "You're Chara! You like chocolate, you really like teasing your brother, you like being a diplomat, but you don't really like Humans. You're really strong, and nothing scares you. Yellow is your favourite color. And you're my girlfriend."

Chara's gaze turned sad at his words, and Kid was torn between hating the fact that she wore such an expression, and a quiet relief that she wasn't sending the other one his way.

"That's not... everything. Kid, you remember back on the other side? When I said I needed to tell you something?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to tell you now." She hung her head. "You deserve to know who I really am… and what I've done."

"Chara, you don't have to talk about this if you don't-"

"I do," she insisted quietly. "I have to."

And she did. She told him everything, from her plan to free the Monsters with Asriel, to her death, to her runs through the Underground with Frisk, struggling for control and desiring nothing more than the power to unmake the world. Kid listened to her, his eyes wide, and various expressions playing across his face as different emotions were invoked by her dark story.

The mechanical girl could not look at him as she spoke, could not bear to see the disgust and anger that she knew would be spread across his face. She kept her head down, sporadically clenching and unclenching her hands as she relayed the story, barely managing to keep her voice from trembling.

Finally, she finished, and fell silent, awaiting his words. Kid was also quiet, and he too was trembling slightly at the information he had just been given. He couldn't believe that he'd had no idea about all this, in all the time he'd known the girl.

Finally, he spoke.

"Chara… do you remember how I said I couldn't hate you back in the other world?" His voice was soft and shaky, different emotions warring for dominance within his tone.

Chara sagged deeper, managing a barely audible "Yes."

"I… I wasn't lying."

The girl blinked slowly a couple of times, then looked up in confusion. Her boyfriend was looking at her, and he looked sad, and hurt and confused but… there was no sign of blatant rejection on his face.

"Monsters are more in tune with our emotions, remember? I couldn't hate you, even if I tried."

"But I killed everyone!"

"Do you still want to kill everyone?" the boy asked, and Chara barely held back a flinch at the undercurrent of fear in the boy's tone.

"I almost did," she whispered. "When you were dying, and I found you in that alleyway. I killed all the men who attacked you. If you had died…" Her voice choked and she was unable to continue.

"But… we're not dead now, right?" The boy asked hesitantly, feeling like he was trying to keep his head above the waters. In the rapids of a river. Heading straight for a waterfall. Of lava. Lavafall.

_Focus, Kid!_ he mentally berated himself. Chara hadn't made any response and was clenching her fists tightly, still trembling slightly.

He had to admit, he didn't really understand everything that she had told him. And what he did understand was… really really bad. He would need to think about it, try to figure it out but... he knew for a fact that he still cared about her, he couldn't help it. And he couldn't leave her like this. But what could he say? What would be able to…

He paused, an idea forming in his mind. He cleared his throat.

"Yo, Chara… you're not like that anymore. I-"

"Weren't you listening? I was going to do it again. And this time, there would have been no way to fix it! And I knew that!"

Kid chewed his lip nervously.

"Hey yo... It's alright. I… I still love you. I'm just a little.. Uhh, confused here. But hey!" He seemed to brighten, though the effect was wasted on the girl, who still wouldn't look at him. "Just let me know if you're starting to turn evil again, alright? We can be supervillains together!"

A shocked giggle tore itself unbidden from Chara's throat, and Kid grinned, despite the situation. He almost never managed to get his girlfriend to make a sound like that. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, and opening her mouth to speak, but Kid jumped in before she could say anything.

"Yeah! We could find the people who make Mettaton's costumes, and get them to make something for us! Go off into the mountains and build a secret lair! Or a Death Fortress! And you can be my sidekick!"

Chara seemed completely caught off guard by this turn of events. Then she raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, _sidekick_?"

Kid stood and posed dramatically, his upper lip curling into what he hoped was a villainous sneer.

"Of course! The Yellow Dart is sidekick to no-one!"

That got a short bark of laughter from the girl, and both she and Kid relaxed slightly.

"So you… really don't hate me?" she asked timidly.

Kid shook his head vigorously.

"Never."

Chara stood, and pulled him into a hug, which the boy gratefully returned, inwardly breathing a relieved sigh that the situation seemed to have blown over.

"I don't deserve you," Chara mumbled into his ear hole.

"Well too bad. You're stuck with me, no matter what," the boy declared, disengaging himself and yawning hugely.

"Yo… you gonna be alright?"

The robot nodded hesitantly.

"I think so…"

"Good, cause uh… we've still got school tomorrow. I should really be in bed."

With that the boy gave Chara a smile, and then walked back to his room. He only noticed that Chara had followed him when he entered the room and turned to close the door.

"Uhh, Chara?" he questioned.

The robot paused.

"It sounds silly," she admitted quietly. "But I don't have nightmares so much when I sleep close to you. Like that one camping trip where two of the tents flooded, or when we stay up too late doing homework. So I thought…" She turned pleading puppy dog eyes to the reptile.

"Aw man… Chara… that's cheating."

"Sorry," The girl mumbled. "I can go back and-"

"No, it's… it's fine," The boy grinned sheepishly. "Anyway, we don't want to wake anyone else up because you have another nightmare… c'mon."

Chara followed him into the room, and they both laid on the bed, Chara drawing up the covers before snuggling in close to Kid from behind, one arm draped loosely over the boy's torso as they both quickly drifted off to sleep.

 

Mettaton moved swiftly through the city the next morning on his own, having left his cousin at Alphys's and Undyne's. In the corner of his vision, seen only by him, was a map of the city. After talking to the reptile last night, he had downloaded a map, as the city layout was much different than his own.

He turned, going down another road, remembering the address, murmuring it quietly as he looked at houses, before finally spotting the triangular roofed house. He paused, wondering how this confrontation would pan out. Taking a moment to collect himself, he went to the door, and knocked.

There was silence for a few moments, then the door handle clicked and turned, swinging open the door to reveal Napstablook hovering behind it. The ghost looked up at Mettaton, eyes wide.

"Oh no…." he murmured. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were coming back today…. I must have missed the notification…." His gaze briefly travelled the robot's body." Are you alright? You look a little different… oh no, I'm sorry, that was rude of me…"

Mettaton raised his hands with a smile. "I'm sorry, this is probably a little confusing… I'm here for your guests...if they're up yet, that is. They've been sleeping quite a bit as of late."

Napstablook blinked slowly in confusion.

"Oh, I didn't know you knew about them already... Um, come on in," The ghost moved out of the doorway to allow the robot passage. "They're not quite up yet but… I don't think it'll be long, Chara and Kid already left for school…."

Mettaton nodded, stepping in, looking curiously around, smiling a bit as he caught a slumbering Dogamy on a couch. Napstablook had alerted the canine of breakfast, but the poor monster ended up stumbling over to the couch before falling asleep again.

The robot contemplated on how to inform Napstablook of who he was to avoid confusing the poor ghost later on in the future if his counterpart came back and Napstablook mentioned the guests. "I see...did they talk much about your unexpected guests?"

"A little…" The ghost admitted. "Kid told me a little about the other world… and that some people from there got trapped here for a little bit…" the ghost passed into the kitchen. "Um… do you want anything to eat? I got breakfast stuff ready for when the others wake up…. I know it's not what you usually eat but…. If you want some…."

Mettaton followed, poking his head in after the ghost. "I would like that, but um...Napstablook, what Kid was saying. About that other world…" Mettaton rubbed the back of his neck. "There's no easy way to say it, but the sooner I do, the better off we'll all be. I'm not...the Mettaton _you_ know. I'm like your guests. I came from another world. That's why I look a little different, and the like."

The ghost stopped, his back facing the robot. Then he turned slowly.

"Oh… I'm sorry, I didn't know that, I didn't mean to mess this up… I should have known better… Oh no….." He began to fade, his eyes downcast.

"...shouldn't I be the one apologizing?" Mettaton asked with a slight smile. "That was something I probably should have said at the door."

"But I thought your magic signature felt different," Napstablook mumbled. "But I thought it would be rude to say anything…. I just thought it had something to do with your new movie… oh no… I made it more awkward, I'm sorry…."

"It's all right," Mettaton replied. "This whole situation is just a bundle of awkward, to be honest, I don't think we could interact without a bit of that at first due to how it all is."

"I guess…"

"So," the robot said, offering a kind smile. "I've been hearing from everyone that you're raising Kid in this world."

"Yeah…" Napstablook said quietly, a small smile briefly lighting up his face. The ghost floated about the kitchen, pulling down various breakfast items from cereal to bread or bacon, and placing them on display on the counter. "It's only been official for the past few months but…. It's been... nice…"

"That's good to hear," Mettaton murmured. "It seems both of you are happy with this. Then again, with what's been going on my side, I'm not all that surprised to see you in a role like this one," he said, his eyes scanning the options.

"I guess…. It's a little hard to stay happy about it though…. Oh no, I shouldn't bother you with that kind of thing… uh, what do you want to eat?"

"Hmm, I suppose cereal," the robot said, wanting to keep things simple. "And thank you for taking in my friends on such short notice."

"Oh…" The ghost faded a little at the robot's words "It's no trouble… we've got a lot of empty room here…"

The robot made a soft sound as his smile broadened. "Are you going to pull a disappearing act on me?" he asked humorously.

"Sorry…." Even so, it took a few moments for the ghost to return to his former visibility. Once he had done so however, he levitated a bowl towards the robot and rippled his body slightly.

"Help yourself... I think I got too much of it anyways… it's hard to figure out how much food corporeal monsters need…"

"Oh, I know, it's confusing," Mettaton said, before finally eating, quiet for a few moments, before continuing. "I had to do some research earlier this month to help take care of everyone...thankfully Monster food doesn't spoil, so that helps."

"Oh… Kid told me you guys had some hard times over there… and everyone seemed really tired when they got here… but, you're good at taking care of people." The ghost paused for a moment.

"I mean… if you're like the Mettaton that I know anyways.. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume…"

"Well, I know we're living our lives differently," Mettaton said. "However, as I take the position of a scientist and doctor for the time being…" The robot smiled, though he looked down briefly. "It's somewhat of my job to take care of them."

"A scientist and a doctor?" Napstablook asked in confusion, his form shimmering. "Do you mean… in your show or…?"

"My show hasn't been on air for a few years-though with all the experience I've been getting, I could probably use it for a show if I can ever get a new one up when things ever smooth out on our side."

"Oh… I'm sorry, I didn't know about that…"

Mettaton gave a shrug. "It's been all right though. I may not have my show, but I've been helping the others with the integration...and if what I hear about your Mettaton is true, then I'm confident I could probably get a show later on."

"Probably… people really seem to like him." Another faint smile had appeared on the ghost's face. "Even though he keeps insisting on using my music… I keep telling him it's not really that good…"

"Seeing how much you're like mine, I'm pretty sure the music's the same, and if that's the case…" Mettaton looked right at the ghost. "I'm planning on asking mine to use that music if I can ever get back into entertainment."

"Ohhhhh…" The ghost nearly completely vanished in embarrassment, only a faint outline remaining to show that he was even still there.

Mettaton looked about ready to say more, before turning to see Dogamy sitting up. "Alive over there?" Dogamy gave a grunt and the robot chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."

Dogamy slid a hand over his face with a quiet groan, trying to fully wake up. "You're here already?"

"Already?" the robot asked. "You've been sleeping in again."

The canine sighed. "Any news yet…?"

"Not quite," Mettaton replied. "I just came to get you as well as Grillby and Muffet."

"Oh, you're awake again..." Napstablook said quietly, fully rematerializing as he spoke. "We weren't too loud were we? I'm sorry, maybe I should have waited on breakfast… you all seem pretty tired..."

Dogamy shook his head. "No, I don't believe so," he mumbled, trying to sort out the rest of his words.

"Don't believe so?" Mettaton asked.

"Well, you're naturally not quiet."

Mettaton put a hand to his chest dramatically. "Dogamy, you wound me, how could you?" he demanded, despite the wide smile on his face.

Dogamy snorted. "You're oh so offended," was the sarcastic reply. Then, he glanced to the ghost. "And it's fine...it'll probably help me wake up."

"But you wouldn't need help waking up if I hadn't woken you up in the first place…" the little ghost mumbled.

"I had to wake up at some point," Dogamy assured as he tried to stifle another yawn. "Better now than later."

Mettaton smiled slightly. "I'll say this is a record at least. I haven't seen you up at this hour for a while now."

"You're just a show off," Dogamy muttered. "Cheating with your battery."

"Well I do like to put on a show…"

"Do not stoop to Sans's level."

"Oh…" Napstablook mumbled. "Well… if you're sure…" the ghost floated over to the fridge and pulled out a nearly transparent sandwich. "There's food out… help yourself," he said quietly, before not so much eating the sandwich as absorbing it, the whole thing disappearing into him in a matter of seconds.

The canine's ears rose slightly at the promise of food, and he looked over, whereas Mettaton turned to find a drowsy fire elemental and spider monster coming into view. "There you two are."

"Morning…" Muffet mumbled, stifling a yawn.

"Did you guys sleep okay?" Napstablook asked in concern. "Nobody's used that room in a really long time… I don't know if it was very nice…"

Grillby gave a tired nod. "Apologies, Sir…" Muffet murmured. "We're still out of sorts, but, it was nice," she assured.

"Ohhh… that's good… umm… help yourself to breakfast… Chara and Kid already left so..."

Mettaton sensed the ghost was getting nervous with so many people. "You're still recovering," he told the three. "Go find somewhere to sit, I'll get breakfast to you," he said, already moving. "I'm assuming Dogamy would want bacon...Muffet?"

"I'm not picky," she replied.

Grillby looked up. "I could just have the bread," he said as the three moved back out so that there was room in the kitchen.

While it would likely have been virtually undetectable to one unfamiliar with ghosts, Mettaton was able to all but see the relief coming off the ghost as space once again opened up in the kitchen.

"They seem nice…" he murmured.

"They're great people," Mettaton assured, as he set to work on getting things prepared. "It's just a shame you didn't meet them under better circumstances…" _And not all at once…_ He paused in what he was doing, going through his information, until he found what he wanted, before setting back to work.

"It's been awhile since there were this many people here…" the ghost murmured, peering cautiously through the doorway. "Usually it's just Kid.. and sometimes Chara… or my cousin, when he comes back to visit…"

Mettaton opened his mouth to comment on the house, but then memories played back to Chara's words at dinner, and he stopped. It seemed he might be opening up something he shouldn't if he continued with that. "So usually the commotion is kept to a dull roar then, hmm?" he asked as he started to put food on plates.

"Yeah… I'm usually up in the attic anyways… I had to when Kid didn't know I was here but... I don't mind… it's cozy up there."

Mettaton's eyes flickered, and then he turned. "Kid...didn't know you were here?" he asked in muddled confusion.

The ghost hesitated for a moment, then bobbed up and down for a brief moment in a sheepish nod.

"Um. yeah… for three years I think… oh, that sounds kind of bad doesn't it? I just mean that after I stopped touring with you, and I came back here, a lot of the people who had been taking care of him were moving away so I thought that I could help? I mean, he wasn't supposed to know about us… so I thought I could do that pretty well… Um…" The ghost's voice trailed off, and the whole time he had been speaking, his form fluctuated, fading in and out of transparency.

"Blooky…?" Mettaton questioned, the nickname coming out automatically.

"Umm... yes, Mettaton?"

"Sorry-that slipped out." The robot was quiet. "It just sounded like you had more to say, that's all."

"Sorry… it's just…" The ghost was silent for a few moments, eyes dim and slightly watery. "I really like being his… uhh… Dad.." The word came out so softly that Mettaton could barely hear it. "But.. it only happened because his whole family died before we left the Underground…"

The ghost was silent for a brief moment, then muttered softly;

"How am I supposed to be happy about that?"

Mettaton was quiet, thinking over how he could reply, as he slipped into his less used way of talking. "Well, Darling," he said as he turned to face him, folding his arms. "You didn't wish death onto them. While it is unfortunate as to what happened...it was not your fault, and you had no part in what had occurred. What I'm trying to get at…

"Kid is happy to have you, Blooky. Did something bad happen to cause this to be possible? Yes...but...you stepped up to the plate to take care of him, did you not? And that obviously means something to Kid. I know he's fond of you, and he's happy to have you in his life. You're not pleased that they died, after all. You're glad to be taking on this role-and that's important to the relationship. You're willing, and you're pleased with the role as much as Kid is happy to have you.

"So be happy about _that_ at least," Mettaton added quietly.

"Ohh… I didn't think about it that way…" Napstablook said, a tinge of awe in his voice as he stared at his cousin's counterpart. "That was… really pretty Mettaton…"

The robot blinked, looking back in surprise, before smiling a little. "Well, thank you, Napstablook," he said as he grabbed the plates with everyone's breakfast.

"Umm… thanks for listening." The ghost replied, quickly putting the unused breakfast items away. "I didn't mean to go on about that but… I hadn't had the chance to talk to you about it before so… even though you're a different you… Sorry…"

"It's fine," the robot chortled. "It sounded like you needed to get that out, and...I'm glad I could assist."

"Okay…" As Mettaton headed towards where the others were situated in the living room, Napstablook hesitated in the doorway.

"Umm, I'll let you guys eat, I don't want to be a bother..."

Mettaton looked back over his shoulder. "While it's your choice, I highly doubt they'll find their host to be a bother."

"Well... if you don't think I'll be disturbing anyone…."

"As if my cousin could disturb anybody-no matter the dimension," Mettaton stated with a slight bit of pride in his voice.

"Oh…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thrones will be back for the uploads by the time Friday rolls by again--so our lives shall finally return to normal, all hail the mighty Thrones's return! I, PetalThorn, second in command, humbly step down from my uploading position, so that all shall be great once again. XP 
> 
> Hope you're all having fun~


	24. Stealthy Predator

In Alphys’s and Undyne’s house, the other Napstablook was laying on the couch, resting. Ghost monsters technically didn’t sleep, but when recovering magic, they entered a state somewhat similar to it. They hardly stirred where they rested, almost oblivious to their surroundings.

On the backrest of the couch however, a small stealthy predator was slowly inching his way across, his brown eyes focused on his target. Little Alexander silently crawled until he was right above the ghost, then wiggled his rear, his tail flopping slightly as he did so, gathered his legs under him and pounced.

Or attempted to anyway. One of his claws had gotten caught in the upholstery, quickly negating his momentum, causing him to flop down with a surprised squeak, hanging upside down from the back of the couch by one foot. It left him suspended, gazing wide-eyed down at his intended target.

Napstablook’s form quivered, and they opened their eyes, only to blink in surprise. “Oh...oh no...I’m sorry,” they murmured tiredly. “Did you want to sit here…?” 

Alexander gave a short series of squeaks of various lengths, then reached out his arms towards the ghost, hands attempting to grasp at the form just out of reach.

“I’m sorry…?” the ghost managed, and then began to rise. “I’ll um--oh…” They looked at the situation. “You’re a little stuck, aren’t you?”

The boy vigorously jiggled at his leg, momentarily turning his attention away from the ghost and attempting to tilt his head up so he could see what obstructed him. Unfortunately, the child’s escape attempt only serve to get another claw snagged.

At that point, Alexander gave a small squeal of frustration, then looked upside-down at the ghost with a pleading expression on his face.

“Ohh...oh dear...hang on…” Despite how exhausted the ghost was, they reached out, and phased the little one’s claws out of the fabric. Napstablook always had the unique ability to phase physical objects, but thankfully, due to Alexander being made mostly of magic, it wasn’t as draining to do as it could have been. “There you go…” Napstablook managed, somehow becoming harder to see. 

The green-scaled reptile tumbled down onto the cushions, blinking and giving a happy hum, before starting crossly at the foot which had gotten caught and making bubbling noises at it, apparently berating it for upsetting his clever plan.

The ghost smiled, and slumped down on the arm of the couch. “Is that better…? I’m sorry that you still fell though…”

Satisfied that his appendage had been adequately chastened, the child turned his attention back to the ghost and frowned in concentration, cocking his head to the side before giving a questioning squeak.

“Oh no, I’m sorry...I’m not sure what you want…” the ghost managed, staying put in their new resting place, knowing their cousin would scold them if he learned that they had drained themselves with the little one. 

Alexander crawled a little closer to the ghost. Then, when in arm’s reach, he began batting at Napstablook’s form, a look of intense concentration on his face, though the effect was ruined slightly as the reptile began to hiccup.

“Oh...oh no, I’m sorry…” the ghost murmured, looking at the reptile in concern, uncertain as to what had started to seemingly upset the child. 

After a few moments of swatting, the child turned and crawled to the edge of the couch, preparing to leap down, though an ill-timed hiccup threw off his balance, sending him tumbling down to the carpet instead. After briefly shaking his head, he crawled swiftly to the other side of the room, grabbing at a small discarded plastic car, before attempting to crawl back while still keeping his grasp on the toy, something he appeared to be having trouble with.

“Oh…?” the ghost questioned as they watched the little one. They would have offered to help, but at this point, were too drained to move much farther from where they had chosen their new resting place.

Despite the child’s struggle, he eventually managed to make his way back to the couch, toy in hand. It was here he seemed to realize he was faced with a new dilemma, as he looked from the couch to the toy clutched in his hand, his little body still trembling every few moments from the force of another hiccup.

First, the little one attempted to toss the car up onto the couch, but he was unable to throw it high enough, and abandoned the attempt after a few tries. He sat down on his hindquarters, a concentrated expression on his face, making him look quite comical as he looked from the couch to the small car.

“Oh no…” the tired ghost murmured, thinking quietly. “Are you trying to bring that to me?”

Alexander only gave a little hum in response, then grabbed at the toy again, crawling back over to the couch and slowly pulling himself into a standing position, his legs trembling under the weight of his body. His claws sank deep into the upholstery in an an attempt to keep himself upright. He still shakily grasped the plastic car in his hand, and reached up as far as he could, trying to get his little arms up over the cushions, despite the fact that, even reaching as far as he could, he still fell short by a decent margin.

“Oh...um...wait…” Mettaton wouldn’t like this either. The ghost slid down onto the cushions, and then slowly slunk off the couch, somehow sliding onto the floor. “There...now you don’t have to climb anymore...you want me to see that?” The ghost was sure that the boy was too young to understand most of what they said, but they still spoke regardless.

The boy gave a surprised squeak at the ghost’s movement, then spent a couple of moments attempting to untangle his claws before sitting back down next to the other Monster. The child tilted his head, then presented the toy to the other, making a conversational bubbling noise that was interrupted halfway by another hiccup.

The ghost looked at it tiredly, but smiled. “...it looks nice…” they commented, but looked up in confusion at the child’s hiccups.

Alexander also seemed confused by the disturbances his body was making, craning his head down to stare at his chest in bewilderment. Fortunately, the hiccups were seeming to slow, no longer coming as fast as they had been before.

Returning his attention to his other source of confusion, he placed the car in between himself and the ghost, tapping it with a claw and stringing a sequence of syllables together in a vaguely questioning tone.

“I’m sorry...I’m really tired…” The ghost blinked slowly, their eyes seeming to droop. “I don’t think I can do what you want...oh no...this was really bad timing...”

The infant crawled a little closer to the ghost, then placed the car on the carpet. He tapped the hood of the plastic toy with one claw for a moment, before reaching out with another hand and swiping at the ghost’s incorporeal form. Then, he sat on his haunches and tilted his head to the side, looking at Napstablook.

The ghost closed their eyes, focusing quietly as they drew the car near them. “It’s really nice…” they mumbled tiredly.

“Hey, Alexander!” a voice called, and heavy footfalls indicated Undyne approaching down the stairs. “Are you harassing our guest? Ya little troublemaker, I thought I put you in the crib!”

“Oh...oh no…” The ghost looked tiredly up. “I’m sorry, I don’t really understand what he wants…” 

At his mother’s approach, the little one scurried behind Napstablook, attempting to hide behind the ghost Monster, covering his eyes as he did so. 

“Don’t worry about it, Napstablook.” Undyne assured, taking long strides to where the pair were situated on the floor. “He’s pretty smart for a little guy, but he’s not so good at talking to people yet. He hasn’t been bugging you too much has he? I know he’s been fascinated with you since he met you, but your cousin seemed pretty adamant that you rest.”

“Oh no...he’s fine...I might be really tired, but if I wasn’t, I’d really spend some time with him...I’m sorry.”

“Hah! Well, you’d better get better soon, I get the feeling _this_ guy,” She leaned down, scooping up the child and ignoring the indignant squeak he emitted as well as his struggle to break free.

“Is gonna be hung up on figuring you out until he manages it.” She finished, a grin broadening across her face. “Already determined to complete your goals, huh little guy? We’re gonna make a warrior out of you yet!”

“Wow…” Napstablook murmured, smiling quietly. “It would have been...nice to have had him around on our side…” the ghost said quietly.

“Hah! Of course he would be!” Undyne crowed, squeezing her son a little tighter, causing the boy to cease his struggle to break free. “Especially if you need something broken, he’s really good at that!” She looked around for a moment, before leaning close to the ghost and saying in a conspiratorial, though fairly loud whisper;

“He gets that from Alphys.”

“Oh…” They blinked slowly. “...really…?” Somehow, the ghost was finding it hard to believe, despite their more trusting nature. 

Alexander interrupted his mother’s reply by looking up and her and making slight whining sounds, casting a pleading glance at the fish-woman. 

“And what do you want, squirt?” She sighed. “You’re gonna keep going after them no matter where I put you aren’t you?” She cast a rueful glance at the ghost. “I think this must be how Alphys feels most of the time…”

“Oh, I’m sorry…” the ghost murmured automatically. “I didn’t mean to make him so curious…”

“If it wasn’t you, it’d be something else,” Undyne assured. “Besides, you’re the one he’s going to be going after, it’s me who should be apologizing.” Then she gave the child a mock glare. “Actually it’s this little runt who should be doing that, but I don’t think he’s gonna do it, now is he?”

“Probably...not… Oh no...he probably wouldn’t until he can talk…” the ghost said tiredly. “And that’s a while from now…”

“Probably sooner than we’d like at this rate.” Undyne chuckled, using her free arm to scoop up the ghost. At Napstablook’s addition, the boy squealed in delight, reaching out for them, a wide grin splitting his face.

“Oh--!” the ghost stammered in surprise as they were picked up. “Ohhh….” they added on as the child reached for them. “Oh...okay...I guess I’m…” There was a long pause as the ghost drifted off briefly. “Guess I’m...going to be spending the day with you hmm?” they asked with a smile.

“Well, if you can behave yourself, and let the poor Monster rest…” Undyne chided, placing the two back down on the couch. “Then you can stay with them, squirt. But if I hear you’ve been disturbing him, I will personally nail you into your crib.” She looked down at the ghost.

“If he causes you more problems, just call, me or Alphys and we’ll will come take him away.”

“Oh...it’s all right…” the ghost mumbled. “I can...handle it…” Their eyes slid closed, and they fell silent.

It was a while later, when Mettaton returned with the other three. “Blooky?” he called softly, looking around, swiftly going to where he had seen the ghost last, the other three trailing behind him, and sure enough, they found the ghost on the couch, with the little boy asleep while snuggling into the ghost.

Mettaton smiled. “Well...at least you stayed put.”

Muffet covered her face, muffling a soft sound. “That’s so adorable--Grillby--look at it!” She quietly exclaimed. The fire elemental looked up, his flames crackling in soft merriment, glad to see her happy for a little bit.

 

The little Frisk had woken before the others from their side. They had quietly slipped out of the guest room, and snuck back upstairs to Chara’s room to grab their treasured hoodie and cloak. However, the child didn’t want to stay inside, and reasoned that so long as they stayed in the backyard, they could be outside.

When going there, however, they weren’t all too surprised to find another garden. Frisk smiled a little, jumping down into the grass. Perhaps it was because of sharing Asgore’s soul, but they found themselves quite fond of these little gardens.

Just a few minutes later, Sans stepped out from behind a tree that was far too thin to have concealed him naturally. He took a quick look around, spotting Frisk and then walking towards them.

“Hey, buddy… thought I might find you out here.”

The child jumped slightly in surprise with a little gasp, whirling around, a hand already covering the left side of their face. They were quiet, trying to think of something to say, and when they couldn’t...they simply nodded to him.

“You mind if I sit over here?” The skeleton asked, stopping nearly in arm’s reach of the child. “I had a long night of doing nothing, and it really wore me down to the _bone_. I could use a rest.”

Frisk shook their head, a faint sign of a smile briefly showing on their face. “...go ahead…” was the soft reply.

Sans sat down with a little groan, and was silent for a moment, scratching at the back of his skull with his hand. 

“You know,” he said finally, looking at the young Frisk. “I found out another thing that both you Frisks have in common.”

The little one tilted their head with a hum of confusion. With all the differences they had, Frisk had to wonder what they possibly shared outside of their name and helping the Underground. Outside of that...they didn’t seem to be the same person from their perspective.

“You’re both really really bad at picking role models.”

The child stared at him blankly, slowly tilting their head the other way, their orange eye staring at him, blinking several times. 

“Just give up.... I did.” The skeleton’s words were soft, with a faint tinge of bitterness hidden away in the depths of his tone.

They stiffened, remaining silent, before turning fully to him, their hands closing quietly, before slowly sliding into the hoodie pockets. “...you said it here, too…” they murmured simply.

“Yeah… I did. I hear you’ve been having nightmares, and that particular phrase keeps popping up.”

The child dug their toes into the ground as they gave a soft sound of irritation. “Grandpa…” they muttered as they looked away.

“He’s worried about you, bucko. And to be _frank_ with you,” The skeleton said, pulling a hot dog out of his hoodie and taking a bite out of it, “If you’re focussing on that particular line, so am I. Call me paranoid, but that doesn’t particularly sound like staying Determined to me.” 

“They’re just parts of nightmares…” the child muttered. “I’ll keep trying to prove it wrong.”

“I think there’s more to it than that… this wouldn’t be a recurring thing if some part of you didn’t think it was valid.”

The child stared at the ground, biting their lip, unwilling to say anything at first. “...it was right once…” they finally mumbled.

“And uh, how do you figure that?” the skeleton asked gently.

The child bit their lip. “...something...attacked us once, and right away, he said to give it up. That we couldn’t spare it…” There was a pause. “I spent a month trying...and he ended up being right…” 

“So?”

The child bit their lip at that response, knowing they could add more, but finding it difficult to put it into the words, and even found the simple question a bit frustrating to work around, as it made any response sound silly in their head.

“Listen, kid. It’s never gonna be perfect. I learned that the hard way too. You need to focus on doing the best that you can, rather than trying to strive for what you can’t. Besides,” The skeleton added thoughtfully. “Just because you can’t do it perfect… doesn’t mean you can’t do it right.” 

“...what do you mean?” they asked. 

“Look at it this way. If your world was perfect, Monsters would never have been sealed Underground, Humans would get along with us just fine, and whatever happened to you that made you come to the Underground in the first place… would never have happened. Do you see where I’m going with this?”

They nodded quietly. “...I do…” they mumbled. Though they weren’t sure if they liked it. 

“You may never have met any of our versions on your side, and your life would be a lot different now. Would it have been better? Maybe, but I’m not convinced. My dad used to say that it was the imperfections in the world that made it beautiful…. Made it unique. Whenever there was a setback, or something didn’t work, he never got angry about it. He would always try to look for the opportunities that would inevitably be opened up by it.”

Sans gave a small shrug.

“Took me a long time to get what he was talking about... Still don’t know that I do but… I can try, anyways.”

“Unique is fine…” Frisk murmured. “I’m okay with that…”

“I guess the point is that… it’s okay to fail. It sucks when you do, but it’s not the end of the world. Use your failures to inspire you to do better, instead of letting them drag you down. In short… be like Papyrus, not like me.”

“...it’s hard right now, but…I don’t have true plans to give up...besides, I’ve got Papyrus so...” They shrugged, not really sure how to convey the thought. “I want to keep showing that it’s wrong…” It was just getting harder and harder when Frisk found themselves back on the ground before they could even get back up. 

Sans reached out a boney hand and gently tousled the child’s hair absently.

“It’ll get better, Frisk. You got a lot of people willing to support ya and… it’ll get better.”

Frisk went still at the contact, before slowly tilting their head up, only their right eye quietly looking at him. They considered saying something, and then settled for just reaching up, gently grabbing his arm.

“...I promised…” 

“Huh?” Sans asked, looking down at the child in confusion.

“...I promised him I’d fix it,” they murmured.

“That’s… quite the ambitious promise.” The skeleton commented quietly. “Me? I don’t like promises. Sometimes you do everything you can to keep em and… well…” He closed his sockets. 

“It’s not enough.”

Frisk was quiet, eyes narrowing. “...I just...need enough time to get back up so that I can try...if they’d wake up...we can try again.” 

“Sounds like you’re stretching yourself a little too far. Patience is a virtue, kid. You’re not gonna be able to fix everything right away.”

Their grip slackened and they fell onto their back, staring straight up with a little sigh. “...I know…” they mumbled. “This isn’t the Underground anymore.” Back then, problems of a whole kingdom...it would only take a week to mend, but this situation seemed to be unchanging. 

Sans was silent, but laid down as well after a moment, looking up at the few white clouds dotting the morning sky. 

The child was silent, staring upwards, eyes narrowing in thought. “...how much do you know then?” they finally asked in a quiet mumble.

“I know a lot of things…” came the response after a moment. “You’re gonna have to narrow it down a bit, bud.”

They paused, trying to find a safe way to word it. “...about time,” was what they finally decided on.

“Resets?” was the quiet reply.

“...yeah…my Sans...it was hard to tell.”

“Between what our Frisk told me and my own research, I know just about everything. Though I get the feeling one or two details are different in your world. “

“...there’s a lot different...Frisk told me they had...seen some other things,” was the reply. “I just wonder if mine knew, but…” They gave a shrug, realizing that it probably did no good to ask.

“‘Fraid I can’t speak for him, but I’d be surprised if he hadn’t figured most of it out already. You’ll have to ask when he comes back.”

They gave a soft hum of concern. “...if he does...he’s good at hiding it…” Their eyes dimmed as they thought over the words.

“Heh. Sounds like me.”

They covered their face with their hands, breathing out slowly. “...so...why come…?” they asked. 

Sans hesitated, seeming to consider his response. Finally, he said;

“We uh, got off on the _left_ foot when we met, figured I owed ya for that.”

“It was fine...I know my appearance would have led...others to conclusions. It’s just...” They drifted off on their sentence, leaving it hanging. 

The lights in Sans’s eyes trained on the child, then he spoke quietly. “To be honest, when I met you the first time, the extra souls weren’t my main concern.”

Frisk frowned, turning their head slightly to look at him. “But you said…”

“They were _a_ concern, and one I admit I hadn’t anticipated. But what I needed to know was who _you_ were. I’ve been talking to your friends, and it sounds like they really care about you a lot. Between them, and what I’ve seen of you, you’re one of the kindest, most compassionate people they’ve met.”

Sans shouldn’t have been too surprised when they tried to close the hood over their reddening face as they mumbled some sort of a response.

The short skeleton waited a moment to let the child calm down a bit before continuing.

“There’s something I’ve been wondering about you, and since you brought up the Resets, well. Now’s as good a time as any to find out. You know about that power, and I think you’ve used it before too. So that begs the question;” He leaned forward a little bit. “Is being this compassionate child that everyone loves who you are? Or are you trying to make up for something?”

They slowly lowered a hand, the orange eye looking to him. “...I never killed, if that’s what you’re asking…”

Sans looked at the child for a moment, before nodding slowly.

“You’re telling the truth. I’m good at reading faces, but you… you might as well have your life story written across it.”

They averted their gaze. “...then what do you see?” they hesitantly asked.

“You’ve been through hell. All you want to do is rest, but you can’t do that until you’ve fixed what’s broken. You’re upset with yourself for not being able to save everyone, you keep wondering if you could have done something to keep everything from happening. You’re hurt, and terrified that you might fail. Despite all that, you keep going, doing everything in your power to set things right. 

“But… you’re cracking. Too many problems, with no solution in sight. You’ve been fighting for so long, it’s starting to wear you down. You just want it all to be over, and be with your family again.”

The child bit their lip and slowly covered their face for a different reason this time, stone silent, aside from the slight shuddering that started to happen as they fought back stubborn tears that they didn’t want to shed, as the words hit home. They were tired of fighting, tired of trying when nothing good came forth, but, like Sans said...they couldn’t rest just yet.

Sans looked away.

“Sorry, the uh, motivational stuff really isn’t my thing. Papyrus is way better at it than I’ll ever be.”

They shook their head, rubbing their eyes as they collected themselves, taking shaky breaths. “...I’ll be okay,” they managed, even with their voice just slightly strained. They’d usually try to pull a smile, but, they knew he’d see through it even if they tried. 

“Out of everyone here… you’re the one who needs a break the most. Gonna be a little hard to get everything into order if you shatter first, won’t it?”

“I’ll...figure something out?” 

Sans made to reply, but paused when something in his coat pocket vibrated loudly. He frowned, pulling out an oblong piece of metal that was shaking violently, clattering against his hand. 

“Huh. Didn’t think this thing would actually work.” He stood swiftly. “Looks like it’s back to work, kid. Take care of yourself, alright?”

They nodded. “Uh-huh…you too,” they said as they sat up.

The skeleton nodded, then turned, walking back to the tree he had appeared from and disappearing behind it again, leaving the child alone in the garden.


	25. That's Slightly Troublesome

Hours passed, and late afternoon arrived, bringing the teens back from school. Not long afterwards, Sans called both his friends and the otherworlders to Alphys’s home where they spread across the living room, talking softly with one another while they waited for the skeleton to arrive.

It was not a long wait. When Sans walked through the front door, all eyes turned to him, eagerly awaiting his reason for calling everyone together. Fortunately, he got straight to the point.

“The Rift should be returning. Everything I have set up tells me that it should reappear sometime within the next half-hour.”

There were collective sounds of relief, and it was the fire elemental that spoke up. “Are there any signs as to where it might appear then?” 

“I managed to narrow it down, it should appear somewhere within the Monster District. Where exactly, I can’t say, so we’re going to need to keep an eye out for it.” His grin widened slightly. “Fortunately, it shouldn’t be hard to miss.”

“We should be careful with it, though,” Dogamy said. “If it changed locations here, than it likely did for us as well...and heaven knows where it decided to open up again.”

“Anywhere that isn’t instantaneous death is fine by me,” was Gerson’s reply.

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” the skeleton reassured. “Having something like that hanging over the city is uh… probably not such a great idea anyways. When we find it, I’ve got some tricks that might just help us get it back into it’s original position, and properly stabilized this time. With luck, that’ll keep it where it was in your world too.”

“Hmm,” Mettaton murmured. “That’s slightly troublesome…”

“Oh no…” Napstablook moaned.

“How come?” Muffet questioned.

“Well, currently, anyone can waltz into it. For safety measures, we’ll probably have to build something around it, but I’m sure we can manage.”

“N-not if we seal it.” Alphys piped up. “Sans and I were working on some theories before it disappeared, and we think that when it’s shut it should just appear as a… scar floating in the air.”

“It’ll only open through applied magical force, and even then, it’s have to be fairly substantial,” Sans continued. “Even so, it might be a good idea to keep it blocked off… I don’t like the idea of random yahoos coming through and causing trouble.”

“I cannot believe you just said “Yahoos,”” Papyrus groaned. 

“That’s funny, I can believe it,” his brother replied.

Rex snickered, muttering something into Frisk’s ear, causing a little smile to show up on their face. 

Gerson rolled his eyes. “He’s got a point. We don’t need some rambunctious trouble makers finding out they’ve got more territory.”

“Especially if we’re keeping our opening in my lab…” Alphys murmured. “I might have to do something about that....”

“Hah! Any troublemakers come through, and I’ll set ‘em straight!” Undyne cried, raising her arm to pound at the table before realizing she was still holding Alexander and lowering the appendage sheepishly.

Mettaton blinked. “...I’m just going to build something around it. Just to be safe. After all, we have humans who can use magic, and not all of them would waltz through with the best of intentions.”

“There’s a handful…” Napstablook mumbled.

“Probably for the best, if we want Alphys to actually be able to accomplish anything in her lab,” Asgore joked.

“Anyway, I’m thinking we should all head out to try and find this thing.” Sans’s gaze flickered to different individuals as he spoke. “Not only does it give a chance to say goodbye early on, so you can get back home quickly when we’ve got the Rift stable again, but between all of us, we should be able to find it quicker, before people start panicking.”

Grillby and Muffet looked to each other, and then nodded. “Sounds like a plan,” they said in unison. 

Gerson shook his head. “Hopefully it doesn’t hide too long,” he said, not exactly looking forward to walking around.

“Count me in!” Undyne exclaimed. “I’m not missing the looks on everyone’s faces when they see that thing appear out of nowhere!”

“Truly, the city cannot help but be safe in the stalwart hands of this gentle knight,” Frisk spoke up, earning him a chuckle from around the room.

The teen Kid looked in slight worry at Chara, who was leaning tiredly against him on one of the couches. 

“Chara? Will you be okay to go?”

The girl waved a hand vaguely.

“I’ll be fine. I wouldn’t mind a walk, anyways.”

Toriel and Asgore smiled at each other.

“Well, why don’t you all go out then?” The former queen said gently. “Fluffybuns and I can stay here and make sure Alexander doesn’t get into any trouble. If you’re coming back here anyways, we’ll have the chance to say our farewells before you leave regardless.”

“Then we should probably start searching,” Mettaton replied. “...with those that actually know the borders of the Monster District.”

“Wowie! This is just like a big game of hide-and-seek!” Papyrus enthused as the Monsters and one full Human began making their way towards the door. “You know, Trouble is very good at that game, it once took me two weeks to figure out where he was hiding!”

“...where was he even hiding?” Dogamy asked with a tilt of his head. 

“In Sans’s room!” The tall skeleton replied, striding through the door.

 

“Come on, Chara, keep up with the rest of us will you?” Frisk called back to his sister who had fallen behind the rest of the group again, her metal feet clanking against the sidewalk. Kid was walking beside her, of course, and lending a shoulder for the girl to lean on slightly.

“Look, the Rift obviously hasn’t appeared yet, otherwise we’d have heard something by now,” she called back. “That means there’s no rush, which means I am free to walk slowly with my boyfriend as much as I want, thank you very much!”

“But Darlings,” Mettaton said, turning with a smile. “Even Gerson’s walking faster than you two.”

The turtle jerked his head up. “And what’s that supposed to mean!?” he asked, folding his arms. “That better not be a crack at my age, ya walking calculator.”

“Oh, you wound me, Gerson. I feel my systems failing,” the robot replied somewhat dramatically, while the turtle deadpanned, and looked to the teenaged Frisk. 

“I get to live with this.” 

“What is it with saucy robots?” The teen grinned. “I mean, Chara was sassy enough when she was in my head, but it’s even worse now! Hey Alphys!” He called to the yellow reptile, who turned to look at him. “You think we could install a chip into these two to calm them down a bit? This _is_ technically your fault after all.”

The reptile just gave a nervous laugh, obviously unsure of how to answer that particular question.

Gerson huffed. “A virus couldn’t do anything to this one’s personality. I doubt anything can. We’ll have to resign ourselves to this fate.”

“And people say I’m the dramatic one,” Mettaton replied as he folded his arms.

“Whatever you say, Whatchamacallit.”

“I think I can die in peace now,” Undyne called back to them. “I never thought I’d see you two bickering like an old married couple.”

The two paused, and both deadpanned at her. “Wonderful,” was their reply. 

“You know Muffet…” Papyrus said thoughtfully as he walked beside the spider Monster. “I always wondered, are you in charge of the spider clans? They certainly seem to listen to you all the time, even the surface ones!”

Muffet paused, giving a quiet hum of thought, trying to figure out how to answer that. “It’s a little complicated. The Monster kingdom’s spiders are organized into little clans that look to Spider Monsters like me for guidance and management. The ones outside are more on their own, I just...happen to be able to communicate to them on some level.”

“So you’re like the queen!” The tall skeleton surmised.

“I’m not sure if ‘Queen’ is the right word. I just loosely manage them.”

Dogamy grinned. “Which means one could say you’re a boss...and the Queen and King are Boss Monsters.”

Grillby sighed, shaking his head, before muttering into the canine’s ear. “Just because our Sans isn’t around to poke at words doesn’t mean you have to fill in for him.”

“Dogamy, why have you betrayed me?” Papyrus moaned, finally getting the pun.

“Heh, good one. I’ll have to remember that for if I-”

Sans was cut off when a sound like a sudden peal of thunder followed by the crack of lightning split the air, causing several of the group to start in fright. Looking desperately around for the source of the sudden noise, their collective gazes lit upon the familiar form of the Rift, the lower part of it obscured by the buildings between it and them, while the upper part loomed above, crackling with multicolored swirls and pulsing with a strange energy.

“That’s a… lot bigger than it was before,” Alphys managed.

Mettaton glanced up at it. “I say we get to it, figure out how to put it back to normal, and call it a day.”

“I like it,” Sans said, beginning to run. “Come on, guys, it’s only a couple of blocks away!”

“Since when do you run?” Papyrus cried out in confusion, momentarily frozen in place by this unexpected display before taking off swiftly after his brother, followed by the rest of the group. 

As they were running towards the Rift, they met a lot of people on the way who were running away from it, some screaming, others focussing on keeping their breath inside them for as long as possible. They were close enough to hear the crackling sound from the Rift now, which was another thing that it had lacked before. 

Up ahead, they could hear sounds of panic and commotion, but they didn’t truly understand the reason for it until they were one block away from the Rift and forced to stop, frozen in momentary horror at the beasts roaming the street before them, between them and the Rift.

The beasts ranged in appearance, some seeming like horrid fusions of mammals, while others seemed more reptilian--or even a mix of the two. All were confined to all fours, and all of them seemed like feral, vile creatures. Most of the ones scampering about, however, were about half Gerson’s height, thankfully. 

Those from the other side of the Rift slid to a halt, eyes widening in sheer horror at the creatures. “Oh Gods--” Gerson managed, choked.

“Are those--they are!” Muffet exclaimed, clasping two hands over her face.

“Beast Monsters…” Gerson managed, before turning. “We have to get everyone out of the area--now! Those things are just going to destroy everything if they aren’t killed!”

“Beast Monsters? What the hell-” Undyne began, then cut herself off. “Nevermind, not now. Sans!” she barked. “Get the civilians out of here, as far away as you can! Chara and I will handle these things!” 

The fish-warrior stepped forward, her entire body beginning to glow. Chara was close behind, calling her knives into her hands while red energy began to gather in her right eye. Meanwhile, the short skeleton had already vanished to carry out Undyne’s command. Not one to be left out, Papyrus stepped forward.

“Do not worry, friends! I will aid you in this battle!”

However, two hands swiftly grabbed his arm as the little Frisk grabbed him in terror, unwilling to let him go forth, while Papyrus looked down in confusion.

Gerson stepped forward, drawing his warhammer out. “Dogamy--get Muffet and Grillby out of here--now!”

“Right!” Instantly, he scooped up Muffet and turned tail, while Mettaton whirled. 

“Alphys--you can’t stay here!” he shouted, rushing for the lizard, causing her to squeak as Mettaton scooped her up.

“M-Mettaton? Wha-”

“I’m taking you back to the house--hold on!” He turned, getting a running start, as energy began to hum, and he activated the wings of his NEO form, before launching into the air. 

The younger Frisk glanced over their shoulder to watch him go, and then looked back up, tugging gently on Papyrus’s arm, insisting that he not go any further. They didn’t want him to learn of the fate of Beast Monsters...they didn’t want to see another Papyrus have to go through that. They had to keep him away from the fight!

Undyne’s glow grew brighter and brighter until it pulsed once, then disappeared, revealing her again. Instead of her casual clothing, she was now dressed in heavy black armour, and she seemed taller and more bulky than she had been before. Her back was to the others, but she turned her head, revealing a gleam in her good eye, and the spears of energy forming from her left. 

“Papyrus,” she commanded. “Take the others, and go find where Dogamy took Grillby and Muffet. Bring them back to my place, and call the station. I want the whole Monster district evacuated as fast as possible, understand?”

Gerson, Rex, and the fusion gawked at the sight, stunned and bewildered, before Rex yanked out their dagger, holding it in front of them with their strange magic. They couldn’t fight these things head on--but they wanted to be able to provide some sort of cover. 

Gerson shook his head. “What in the world…?” He shook it harder, shoving it away as he looked back to the problem.

The teen Kid nudged the younger counterpart, momentarily forgetting about the creatures who seemed to be finally noticing the group.

“See what I mean?” he whispered. “So cool…”

“Undyne! But…” Papyrus sighed. “Alright, I’ll take them. Don’t worry, they’ll be fine as long as the Great Papyrus is looking after them! Come on, let’s find where Dogamy ran off to!”

“Yo, let’s hurry!” Rex called. “Those three might be able to get away fast, but they don’t have a lot of magic right now!”

Then, the little lizard turned. “Yo! Papyrus! They went this way!” Instantly, the child was leading the way the three had gone, though they wished they still had Napstablook or Mettaton with them, as they could easily track down others.

The young Frisk tugged on the skeleton’s hand as they went to follow their friend, afraid to let go, as it might mean he’d enter the fray. They couldn’t let him know...and they certainly couldn’t let him die.

Gerson glared as some smaller beasts noticed and came rushing at them, one going straight for Undyne, a second for Chara, and a third ran past them, only to be greeted by Gerson’s hammer. They were some blend of what appeared to be a canine and a rat, but there seemed to be an absence of fur, and an odd mix of what seemed like flesh and bone.

Undyne grinned and flicked her wrist, lighting up the ground beneath the creature and calling up spears to impale it from below, causing the Beast to writhe for a few brief moments before crumbling to dust.

“You’re gonna have to try a little harder than that!” she gloated, while more spears formed behind her. 

Chara, meanwhile, called upon four orbs of energy to fly forth, homing in on the attacking creature before she leapt forward, the red glow of her knives seeming to strengthen at the prospect of battle.

Gerson grunted as he swung his hammer, unable to go all out like he wanted with his shell cracked and his whole body protesting more so than usual at all the movement, but he was stubborn, and refused to relent until he knew it was safe. 

More of the small, grotesque Monsters poured out from between the houses, coming from the direction of the Rift. they were quick and nimble, and homed in on the three like they were a beacon, not unlikely since Undyne’s recycler had started playing the song she had written for this purpose; “The Heroine Appears”

The fish-warrior made a gesture, hurling the spears that had formed behind her at the creatures, some striking home, while others were dodged by the nimble creatures. The beasts that were hit let out brief cries of pain before falling to dust, even at the strike of a single spear.

“Hah! These things are barely even worth fighting!” Undyne ginned, while Chara charged ahead, unleashing a beam of energy from the tip of each knife and weaving the blades in an intricate pattern, cutting down a few more of the creatures too slow to dodge.

Gerson swung his hammer again, hitting it head on, causing it to crumble into dust. “Don’t let your guard down--if these are coming in a swarm, we can get overrun!” He jumped forward, slamming his hammer into the ground, the momentum carrying him forward as he kicked another in the face, and then landed, whirling the weapon to hit in the side. As it fell, he brought it up again again, then smashed it down and shattering its skull--though the sight swiftly vanished into dust.

Gerson looked about, already feeling tired, his body yelling at him to stop, but while these smaller ones were swiftly getting dealt with--his hearing could pick up more on the way...and with his hearing as far gone as it was, that was far from good news. “Brace yourselves!”

Even as Gerson voiced his warning, a few of the creatures leapt for Chara, one latching onto her shoulder and attempting to sink it’s teeth into it, while another attached itself to her leg, madly clawing at her while more charged at her. 

The beams coming off her knives sputtered, then cut out, though the weapons themselves remained intact, allowing her to hack away at the creatures now surrounding her. She brought a foot down on one’s neck and the creature emitting a startled squeak as its neck snapped, while her knives cut down the creatures attached to her.

“Chara, get back!” Undyne warned, calling another volley of spears. The mechanical girl did as she was bid, leaping backwards and narrowly avoiding another Beast’s attempt to latch onto her while she ducked low, allowing Undyne’s spears to launch where she had been, scattering the Beasts.

Chara stood up straight, panting slightly, her shirt and pants torn and her body scratched.

“There’s more coming…” She warned, crouching low and holding her weapons before her. “I’ve never felt any magic like this before…”

Gerson panted, a hand on his knee as he tried to catch his breath. “Where the heck have they been--just to come all at once…” Exhausted, he slowly rose again. “Urchin--do you really not know? These were--” 

The turtle whipped his head up as more of them slid into view...but these were bigger, and their appearances ranged even greater. Some had canine appearances, as well as felines and even a few equines. They were nearly as tall--if not taller than Undyne, and they charged straight at them, but just before they came, a blast of magic from above sent them reeling back--and killing one that stayed too long in its blast.

“Be careful!” a voice called from above. Gerson jerked his head up to see Mettaton, the wings fully out, and his dominant hand was now a weapon. The robot whipped his head around, scanning everything. “These are worse than the others--they’ll take a bit more to get rid of.”

“Peachy…” Gerson groaned in exhaustion as he clenched his weapon, fully rising again.

Undyne looked to the robot, noting the weapon, but she said nothing about it. Instead, she summoned another spear into her hand.

“In that case… Chara! Get back here and protect the geezer! Give me covering fire with your magic, I’ll keep these guys from getting too close!”

She charged towards the closest of the Beasts, a war-cry tearing loose from her lips, distracting them and giving Chara a chance to follow the fish-warrior’s commands.

While she fell back to protect the weary turtle, Mettaton flew past them, taking care of the Beast Monsters furthest away so that he wouldn’t have to worry about the power of his weapon. It was damaging, but it took several long moments for a beast to die from the power.

Gerson looked around, panting, shaking his head. “They just keep coming…” he muttered mostly to himself. “Where the blazes have they been to not get noticed…?” With this many--the city should have found out about them ages ago!

Chara spared a quick glance at the turtle while orbs of energy formed behind her. 

“When this is over, you’re gonna have to tell us what the hell these things are,” She stated quietly, then returned her attention to where Undyne was fighting up ahead. The majority of the Beasts had conjoined on her, and the shrieks and triumphant cries coming from the the cluster were unmistakable.

However, Undyne was only one woman, powerful as she was. Even with Mettaton providing aerial support, there were a lot of Beasts, and several of them turned their attention to the two standing back, letting out roars and cries before charging them. It was these ones Chara directed her magic towards, the orbs of red energy homing in on the beasts, though they seemed to wobble slightly along their trajectory, their aim not completely true.

Unlike the Beasts from before, a single attack was not enough to send the creatures to dust. Chara’s first volley did not take a single one down, and by the time her second was prepared, they were almost upon them.

Gerson slid forth with a battle cry, his hammer moving swiftly through the space between him and the Beast, and soon enough, a loud echoing crack was heard, as the hammer smashed into the beast, damaging its form and disfiguring it even more so than it already was. 

The turtle didn’t relent--swiftly smashing it down again. However, he staggered as he tried to raise it a third time, and his hammer hit the ground with a clang as he breathed heavily.

He jerked his head up as the beast lunged at him. At the last second, he gathered his strength and slammed the weapon into it, before dropping it again as the creature turned to dust. 

But the turtle’s exhaustion was swiftly growing. And there were only more Beasts coming down upon them.

“What part of “stay back” are you not getting?” Chara called in frustration, sending her prepared volley at the remaining Beasts. 

But, with her battery still drained, and her magic reserves already being used to power her body, the strain on her magic was showing. The attack did not home in on its target as it normally did, and while most found their marks among the Beasts regardless, one sped towards Gerson where the old turtle panted in the dust left behind by the Beast he had slain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh


	26. A Somewhat Murdery View

Gerson gave a jerk and, with a ragged gasp, he lifted his hammer up, letting the head of it take the brunt of her attack. He let out a cry, causing Mettaton to whip around in alarm. “Gerson!” The hammer was struck, the force causing it to swing, and the turtle slid back from where he stood as he tried to keep his footing.

Chara swore under her breath, switching to her knives and leaping forward just in time to block a blow from an equine Beast that had swatted at the turtle while he was off balance. 

She did not dare to use the beams, for fear of hitting Undyne or Mettaton… or having her magic short out again. She grimaced when the Beast struck her shoulder, but pressed on, slashing and stabbing at the Beast before her.

The Equine gave an angry snort, rearing up, trying to slam its front limbs down on her in some form of an attack, while the old turtle tried to regain his balance and get back into the fray, doing his best to ignore what had just happened. Now wasn’t the time to demand what the heck that had been, when there were more and more Beast Monsters coming at them. 

_Damn it!_ he cursed as he slammed his hammer into another one. _They just keep coming!_ His hammer came smashing down again. _It’s like the Abyss all over again!_ His weapon crashed down onto a beast, sending it to dust...but his legs quivered, threatening to send him down.

The Beast’s blow struck Chara square in the chest, sending her stumbling backwards. She quickly managed to regain her balance, barely evading another swipe, then lunged forwards, sinking both her weapons deep into the equine’s chest. She gave a triumphant hiss, then just managed to duck under another creature’s attack.

The creature brayed loudly in pain as it stumbled, trying to hit her as a deep red surrounded the wound, but it began to stagger and stumble about, before its legs gave out, though that didn’t stop it from trying to sink its oddly present fangs into her.

Trusting in her metal body to soften the blow, Chara focussed on the offensive, cutting deep into the Beast’s neck, even as it’s fangs clamped down on her shoulder. Her form protected her, but she could feel the metal bend slightly under the strength of the creature’s jaw.

Fortunately, it only lasted a moment before the equine crumbled to dust, allowing Chara to turn her attention to the other beast who attacked her. Evading another blow, she let the knife in her left hand dissipate, then made a fist, infusing the next Beast in a deep red glow, slowing the creature and allowing her to easily whittle away at it with her weapon.

Her body now covered in specks of blood and dust, she attempted to take stock of the situation around them in between evading attacks and retaliating. No more Beasts seemed to be appearing from between the houses, but there were already more than enough here, and the four fighters were being overwhelmed.

“This is ridiculous!” Mettaton exclaimed, blasting at them with ease--currently safe as he fought from above. “How are there this many all in one place!? It’s absurd!” He charged up his weapon, a slight whirring sound emitting from it, before it created a much larger blast to handle two of the other Beasts that were trying to reach the others. His sensors told him Gerson was reaching his limits--he had to keep more from coming! 

“NGAAAAAH!”

At Undyne’s cry, the ground lit up around her in a perfect circle, encompassing the throng that had all but hidden her from view. Seconds later, a veritable forest of spears shot up from the ground, sinking deep into the surrounding Beasts. Most were turned to dust on the spot, and the few that remained from the horde that had been attacking her were swiftly dispatched by the warrior. 

Sweat poured down her face, and her ponytail clung to the back of her neck, sticky with blood, dust and sweat. Despite that, she had a wide grin on her face as she charged to where most of the remaining Beasts were assailing Gerson and Chara.

“Now _this_ is what I call a fight!”

Gerson looked up in relief to see the warrior coming to their aid. He would be handling himself better had he been at full strength, but as things were, he wasn’t so stubborn as to refuse the assistance as he used his hammer to shield himself from another blow from a feline beast. Mettaton took the chance to go after a few beasts that were limping around, and trying to get their bearings.

From behind, a mighty roar echoed, nearly shaking the ground with the force of it. Chara kicked a Beast that had been closing in on her away and whipped around just in time to see twin gouts of flame blast over the rooftops from a fair distance away.

She knew that magic, her eyes widened in fear. 

“That’s Mom and Dad! They’re in trouble!”

Even as she spoke, her wings formed behind her and she took a running start, lifting off and flapping furiously towards the disturbance.

“Chara!” Undyne called after her, punching a vaguely canine Beast in its muzzle. “The hell are you doing?”

But there was no response, and the robot seemed to flap even harder as she quickly sailed out of sight of the Monsters on the ground.

Gerson gave a groan as he shoved back against another Beast Monster, panting in exhaustion, before Mettaton swooped in, slamming into it. The creature went tumbling, and Mettaton blasted it, before rushing back to the turtle, glancing briefly to where Chara had gone. “It seems like more of them got past us!”

“Dammit!” Undyne cursed, impaling the last Beast through it’s chest and swiftly checking the area to ensure there were no others in the immediate vicinity. Her armour was dented and scraped in several spots, and a few wounds graced her neck and face, but she seemed unfazed by them.

“Come on you two, we’ve gotta make sure everyone else is alright! I don’t know what made that sound, but whatever it is, we can’t let it rampage about unchecked!”

“Right!” Without delay, the robot grabbed the exhausted turtle, setting him on his back. Usually, the turtle would have been yelling at the robot for even considering the idea, but he was too exhausted to care as he lowered his head. With that, the threesome made their way back through the district.

Either Sans had done his job well, or most of the citizens had already fled as the streets were empty. It was far from quiet however, as another roar shook the earth, and the sounds of battle quickly grew louder as they approached Undyne’s home. The fish-warrior turned on a extra burst of speed, worry evident on her features as she passed Gerson and Mettaton.

They ran down a side-street and turned a corner to come into view of Undyne’s home… or at least they should have. Blocking their view of the house was a massive creature, easily as tall as the place itself. It stood on all fours and had thick, scaly hide. Two massive tusks protruded from either side of it’s mouth, which sported gleaming white teeth.

Clenched tightly in it’s mouth was Chara, the robotic girl’s legs kicking wildly as she was shaken about in the beast’s mouth like a ragdoll, her wings popping and fizzling out of existence in the tight grip. Before anyone could react, the creature flung the girl against a nearby house, obscuring her from view. There was a crunching noise, shortly followed by a thud.

Mettaton jerked, looking at the situation, eyes widening. “Oh gods…” If that thing reared up… He glanced back to Gerson. He couldn’t fight with the turtle like this. “Hold on, Gerson,” he muttered. “I’m getting you to the house.” He stepped back, preparing to make a break for it. “Undyne--can you provide cover for me!?”

“Got it!” The warrior called upon her spears, hurling them immediately at the behemoth before running away from the robot. “Hey! I’m gonna make sure you regret ever messing with my family, you oversized chameleon!”

As she ran, she saw Asgore and Toriel throwing blasts of fire at the creature from nearby the doorway to the house.

“Hey, you two! Move outta the way, we need a distraction so we can get Gerson into the house before he passes out!”

Mettaton moved swiftly, sensing Gerson’s energy fading. He wasn’t dying--but he was in no condition to continue! It was then that he spotted Dogamy moving swiftly, attacking the creature to get its attention away from the house. As it turned in anger, Mettaton darted through the yard, lunging up the steps in a single bound, and tearing the front door open as he entered.

Papyrus stood tall in the middle of the living room, bone fortifications protecting the huddled figures behind him. He opened his mouth to speak, then blinked.

“Mettaton! Gerson! I’m very glad to see you! It seems our latest guest has a somewhat… murdery view of us.”

“So I’ve noticed,” Mettaton managed, taking Gerson off his back, and setting him down by the others. “Stay. Put.”

Gerson looked tiredly up, and nodded. “Can’t go anywhere even if I wanted to, Calculator.” 

Mettaton whirled with a huff. “Take care of them,” he instructed. “I’m going back out to handle our guest.” With that, the robot marched toward the door.

“Mettaton, wait!” Alphys appeared at the top of the stairway… though not in a fashion anyone had anticipated. Her entire body was covered in bright red armour, with a pink visor covering her eyes. Small cat ears sat at the top of the armoured suit’s head. Despite the slightly synthetic tones and the unexpected apparel, it was definitely Alphys, as the suit was built to mold with her body.

“You’ve got wings, right?” she called. “There’s an access hatch to the roof up here, we can do more damage from above!”

Mettaton stared, the light in his eyes fading for a moment, before coming back in as he tried to process what was before him. “Alp--right--lead the way!” he exclaimed as he whirled, fingers twitching as he prepared to summon his weapon forth again.

The others were just as dumbstruck where they were gathered by Papyrus. On their side of the rift, Alphys’s work had stopped, and so, they had no idea what they were even looking at.

Alphys swiftly led Mettaton to the far end of the hallway, wincing slightly as another roar caused the house to shake. She pulled a lever on the wall and a ladder, which had been hitherto unnoticed by the robot, fell from the ceiling. She immediately began climbing it, opening the trapdoor at the top, followed closely by Mettaton.

On the roof, they got a good look at the battlefield around them. Dogamy was still keeping a low profile, though he threw magic attacks at the great Beast to keep it off balance. Undyne was sinking spear after spear into the thing, because of it’s size. it was an easy target, but her attacks seemed to have little effect on the creature.

Toriel and Asgore were faring little better, though that did not keep them from unleashing a barrage of flames from their hands. Toriel narrowly evaded the creature’s tail as it took a swipe at her, letting loose another roar that almost caused physical pain in those who heard it.

Metal shifted on Mettaton’s arm, reforming the weapon, as he stepped back, glancing to Alphys. “Any ideas, or just shoot it until it stops moving?”

Alphys quickly glanced around, and saw the teen Kid hiding behind a building not too far away, peering cautiously around a corner before ducking back into cover.

“Umm… keep it from destroying the house?” she suggested, and several flaps in her shoulders opened, revealing small rockets. “If that thing breaks through... Papyrus doesn’t stand a chance.”

“I think I can aid in luring it away--I’m just fine with it not wrecking anything else.” His wings appeared again, and he stepped back, lowering himself down, before springing up into the air, flying swiftly. With it so focused on those outside--perhaps luring it away wouldn’t be so difficult.

Alphys quickly followed suit, though instead of wings, rockets ignited in her boots, propelling her into the air. She immediately began peppering the beast with rockets and blasts of electricity from her hands, constantly moving to keep the creature from getting a clear shot at her

It looked like they were certainly starting to affect the creature, with so many of them attacking it, surely they’d be able to take it down? Still, uncomfortable memories of fighting The Defiler a long time ago resurfaced. Last time they’d fought something like this… She couldn’t let anything like that happen again.

Mettaton swiftly gained altitude, his weapon whirring as he charged it up, scanning for weak points--though with that scaly hide… His eyes sparked. “Alphys! The eyes!” White furred ears twitched as Dogamy leaped back to safety. He didn’t have his axe, but his Aqua magic could be used for far-ranged. He looked up at the mighty beast. That was probably the weakest area for such a creature--though that proved to be problematic.

As the reptile turned her attention to the Beast’s head, the creature stamped the ground, the force behind the impact enough to send small tremors through the earth. The fighters on the ground were forced to try to keep their balance, while the creature struck with a swiftness that belied its bulk. It swung its head, it’s massive tusks slicing through the air towards the one Monster facing it head on… Undyne. 

The warrior was not a dodger, and the force of the tremors had thrown her slightly off balance, but she attempted to evade the swipe anyways. She wasn’t quite fast enough, and the tip got lodged in her armour, sending her flying a few feet back, barely managing to land clumsily on her feet.

The Beast’s head continued it’s swing however, and the left tusk smashed into the wall of the house with ease, the appendage getting lodged in the wall as the momentum slowed. 

Everyone inside cried out in alarm, a more terrified scream escaping Muffet as she leapt _onto_ the far wall, her back pressed firmly against it, breathing in short gasps of panic and terror. Rex’s shield formed briefly, but was instantly shattered, though at this point, most of the group had made it to the other side of the room.

Grillby slid as he reached the other side, turning to face it, bits of blue entering his flames as he glared back across at the tusk that had entered the house while Gerson rose shakily up with his hammer, though it was obvious he wouldn’t be able to do much.

“No! Bad!” Papyrus scolded, summoning more bones and tossing them at the tusk, each one plinking off the hardened bone with no obvious effect. “If you’re going to come inside, use the door! Don’t just come crashing inside, that’s just rude!”

The elder Frisk began to stand up.

“This is getting out of hand… I’m going to try something, hang on!”

The little Frisk’s eyes widened, realizing what their counterpart wanted to do, and with a shrill cry, they lunged and grappled his leg, clinging tightly to it. Thankfully for them, he wasn’t all that big…

The elder Frisk looked down in confusion, attempting to shake the child off.

“What are you doing?”

They shook their head wildly. “You can’t,” they stammered, holding on tighter, with even their tail slipping out to wrap around his ankle.

Frisk hesitated, even as Alexander began to cry loudly from the middle of the group.

“Frisk, stay back!” Papyrus instructed, calling up a wall of bones in between the huddled group and the massive tusk that was slowly pulling back from the wall. “The great Papyrus cannot protect you properly unless you stay there!”

Meanwhile on the outside, the group had renewed their attack on the beast, though now it was facing the wall, it was far more difficult to get a clear shot at the weak spot Mettaton had pointed out. It drew back, preparing another swipe at the wall when massive beams of white light smashed into it from behind.

The creature gave a furious roar, swinging about to glare at the attacker, it’s tail smashing into the house and causing it to shake to its very foundations as it turned. Sans stood on the other side of the street, seven Gaster Blasters hovering around him, energy charging in their mouths as they prepared a second volley.

The beast gave a low growl, a foot stamping the ground, sliding slowly back, leaving marks where it had been. Dogamy’s eyes widened. “Get out of its way--it’s going to charge!” 

Mettaton snapped to attention, and then flew higher, using the skeleton’s attack as a distraction. Perhaps he could get on its head and then shoot the eyes from there where he couldn’t be so easily reached by the massive thing.

The gargantuan creature hurled itself forwards, feet pounding the asphalt below it to dust under the massive blows as it’s gaze focused on the small skeleton, ignoring the other attacks being made against it for now. It howled in pain as the blasts of energy from the skulls floating around Sans impacted it directly in it’s face, but did not slow its charge.

Of course, by the time it reached where Sans had been, neither he, nor his blasters were there. The small skeleton had teleported himself back to the doorway of the house, while the Beast smashed into the houses Sans had been using as cover.

It was then that the robot swooped down, flying level along the spine, before landing on the top of its head, running along it, and then sliding down its forehead, and digging his fingers into the scales, slowing his descent until he was directly between the eyes. His weapon whirred, and then he turned, and blasted it directly in the eye.

The creature gave a howling screech, and then shook its head wildly. Due to Mettaton only holding on with one hand, he was sent flying. He gasped, already starting to right himself--only to shout in alarm as a tusk skimmed along the side of his body, tearing at the protective casing--and taking a few wires as well. One of his wings began to flicker and fade out, but the robot improvised.

His weapon reverted back to normal, and his wing returned to full power, before he swiftly flew, landing roughly on a roof, sliding on his good side, before getting on hands and knees as his wings faded away. Now, he could only use the weapon if he was on the ground. He gritted his teeth, glaring up at the beast as he summoned his weapon, aiming for the other eye as his own narrowed in anger.

Undyne saw what the robot was planning, and quickly gestured with a hand, causing the Beast’s body to glow with a green light. 

“Finish it off!” she called, sweat already beading on her forehead. “I don’t know how long I can hold this thing!”

Mettaton didn’t give a verbal response as he aimed steadily, the cannon whirring a final time as his body gave him warnings that his energy was depleting. He fired forth, his unstable body knocked back from the force--but his aim was true, and now, he had fully blinded the creature. It screeched and wailed, trying to move in the prison Undyne had made for it.

From behind, Asgore, Toriel, Sans and even Dogamy unleashed their own attacks, hammering the beast with everything they had. Scorch marks quickly covered the beast’s back and it’s movements and protests became more feeble, blood and dust beginning to stain its scales.

Finally, it gave one last shriek and crumbled in on itself, leaving behind a goopy mess staining the street.

Mettaton crawled over to the edge, looking down, a shudder going through him at the revolting sight. “Disgusting,” he moaned to himself, while Dogamy leaned back against what was left of a wrecked car.

“I…” he panted. “Can’t believe...this…” He groaned into a hand. “There shouldn’t be this many on the surface…” 

Toriel and Asgore were panting heavily with exertion, their fur damp with sweat. Undyne rolled her shoulders, cracking her neck as she did so. 

“Sans!” she shouted to the skeleton, who turned to look at her. “That wasn’t the last of those things, there’s gonna be more of them! See if you can figure out where they’re coming from, and stop any more from getting out here! I’ll keep the ones already out here under control!”

Sans nodded and vanished, while the fish-warrior leaned briefly against her spear for a moment, Alphys landing next to her. Then she straightened. 

“All of you, keep together, okay? Stay here, and keep everyone safe. I’ll try and keep any more from getting to you, but keep on guard, and make sure everyone’s alright.” With that, she ran off before anyone had a chance to say anything.

The teenaged Kid poked his head out from behind a wall and quickly checked around before running to where the Boss Monsters stood.

“Yo, that was pretty scary! But you guys were awesome taking him down!”

It was then that the front door opened, revealing those that had been hidden inside. “Yo!” Rex called out, looking around. “Is everyone alright!?” 

“Alive!” Dogamy called, before pointing vaguely. “Mettaton’s on a roof over there…” He looked around, eyes drooping as the little Frisk stepped out, clinging to Rex, while Muffet was behind the group, trembling like a leaf as she grasped her husband tight. Once again, the fire elemental was grateful that he didn’t need to breathe as he tried to comfort her.

Gerson stepped out, instantly leaning against the wall of the house, breathing heavily, despite having been out of the fight. “Good grief…” he managed to himself. He was getting too old for all this insanity! 

“I’ll get Mettaton…” Alphys said quietly, taking off and heading for the rooftops. Toriel looked around at the group, checking to make sure everyone was okay. Then;

“Chara!” She gasped, searching about wildly. “The Beast grabbed her and... where is she?!”

The answer to that question was quickly found. At the house just beside Undyne’s, the mechanical girl was slowly pulling herself to her feet. Asgore, Toriel and Kid began walking towards her as she stood upright, her movements jerky.

As she raised her head, they saw sparks fly from her right eye, and the red lights that usually accentuated them were both out. She was covered in scrapes and scratches, and her shirt had been badly torn, exposing her midriff and her core, which was shaped as the head of a golden flower. The glass-like material that protected the inside of the core had been shattered, and a dark red gel oozed from it, staining the front of her pants and dripping to the ground.

“Chara? Are you alright?” Toriel asked in concern, picking up her pace while the girl took a step forward, her body seeming to spasm slightly as she attempted to make the movement. 

Suddenly, her eyes widened and she called out in alarm, causing the onlookers to freeze momentarily.

“Get b-b-b-back!” Her voice was malfunctioning. Even with just those two words, her pitch fluctuated from high pitched to a deep bass. She barely sounded like herself at all. 

She attempted to take a step backwards, then her whole body shuddered, the sound of a muffled explosion reaching the ears of the group around her. The shaking unbalanced her, and she teetered for a moment, locking wide, desperate eyes on Kid for a brief moment before falling back.

When she hit the ground, there was another explosion, louder this time. The others were forced to shield their eyes, both from the bright light that emanated from her, and the bits of shrapnel that briefly filled the air. When they returned their shocked gazes to the girl, all that remained was a twisted, smouldering husk of metal lying on the ground, barely recognisable as having ever even been human-shaped, much less the girl they knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear...


	27. No Trace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.
> 
> Please ensure you read the notes at the end of the chapter.

Muffet’s grip on Grillby slacked as she fully rose, eyes wide. She took a slow step forward, slowly blinking, before she tore off the porch. “CHARA!” she screamed. That wasn’t her child--she knew that--but even so...she couldn’t lose this one as well!

Toriel, who had been frozen in shock for a moment, quickly followed Muffet’s cue, hurling herself towards her daughter.

“No, no please!” she begged, falling next to what remained of Chara and desperately grasping at her form, unmindful of the burning hot metal that seared her hands. “Not again… you can’t… not again!”

Grillby gasped, tearing after his wife, while the little Frisk clenched into Rex’s shoulders, causing them to wince at the tightness of their grip. Then, they gave a ragged gasp as their legs gave out, and sent them both to the ground. Frisk stared straight ahead at nothing, their mind shutting down in an attempt to block it out. 

The older Frisk was swiftly by his mother’s side, gazing down at his sister in horror.

“Don’t worry, Mom,” he babbled, his tone laced with desperation. “Alphys made her this body, she can fix it! She’ll be alright, you’ll see. She’s not… she _can’t_ be…” The boy began to break down, falling to his knees beside his mother. 

Gerson stumbled to the steps, but at this point, he couldn’t get any further as he peered out, going still as he waited. Dogamy rushed toward the fallen robot, and Mettaton looked down in shock and horror from above, the explosion playing over and over again in his mind.

From behind, Kid watched the spectacle, eyes wide. He had taken a single, tentative step forward, but now seemed completely unable to move as his body began to shake.

“Ch… Chara?” His voice was soft, trembling with pain and disbelief. Within himself, the teen felt his soul break at the sight before him.

Muffet slowed to a stop a bit away, a hand reaching out, before falling back to her side as a painful reminder came. That wasn’t her Chara--it was not her place to come any closer. That didn’t stop her from covering her face as tears escaped...or from dropping to her knees as Grillby finally caught up to her, flames dimming in concern and sorrow as he glanced between her, the body, and those around them.

Asgore started to approach his family where they knelt around Chara, then hesitated. Instead, he walked over to the porch, his face twisted in anguish. 

“What… what _was_ that?” the former king asked, looking between Gerson and Dogamy, his voice trembling with emotion. In the background, Alphys was helping Mettaton down from the roof while Toriel had begun emitting a keening wail, gathering up the charred metal in her arms and rocking back and forth on the ground, tears pouring down her face.

Dogamy looked back, confused and concerned, while Gerson stared. “...you don’t know?” he asked quietly, staring in alarm as his hand clenched the railing on the porch tightly.

“I have never seen or felt anything like that before,” Asgore stated quietly, his gaze falling back to his family. 

Gerson looked to the king in confusion. “How...you and Toriel…” He shook his head, and then breathed out. “Those are Beast Monsters. They’re former Monsters whose dark emotions have twisted them into feral creatures that react on nothing but primal instincts. They have no recollection of what they are and there is...no way to reverse what becomes of them. They’re territorial, and will typically tear each other apart on their own unless they find...others to go after, like in this city.”

As Gerson spoke, Asgore looked back to him in shock.

“I have… never heard of such a thing. How could it even happen?”

“We’re tied to our emotions, it’s like how our will to fight alters our strength in battle...we’re connected like that. If a Monster starts to feel too much in things like misery, grief, anguish...those things are the results of such dark emotions piling up over time.”

“We are tied far more to our emotions than Humans are,” the Boss Monster acknowledged. “But… to transform into something like that…” He shook his head. 

Meanwhile, Alphys was running up to where Toriel cradled the remnants of Chara in her arms, stopping in her tracks a few steps away when she realized what had happened. Frisk’s tear-stained looked up pleadingly at her.

“Alphys! You… you can fix this, right?”

The reptile removed her helmet, then bit her lip, her gaze shifting from them to Mettaton who had come up from behind. She opened her mouth, but closed it, no words emerging as her eyes began to water.

The battered robot looked down, at the husk, and then jerked his head about, looking wildly around, his sensors going as high as his current state would allow, his magic even seeping out a bit. He started to say something, and then paused, for several long moments. “...everyone…” he stated softly, but drifted off, sorting out his words, unwilling to say what his senses were telling him.

Alphys hesitantly raised her arm, pointing it towards the husk and opening her palm. A soft glow emitted from her hand for a few moments, then faded. 

“There’s… there’s no trace of magic left in the body,” she murmured hollowly. “A-and… no sign of her magic signature… or her soul. I… I’m sorry.”

“But I disappeared for a while, and I came back!” Frisk protested desperately. “You couldn’t find me then, couldn’t it be the same?” 

“I’m not picking up anything either…” Mettaton stated slowly. “And ghost monsters can sense souls and magic. And if she was a ghost in a physical body, and it got destroyed like this…” He drifted off, not truly wanted to state the rest of what he knew. He had shut down some of his emotions, his tone quiet, but the voice didn’t falter.

“You’re more closely linked to her than anyone…” Alphys said quietly. “Can you sense anything?”

The only response the boy gave was to bow his head, a fresh wave of tears pouring down his face. He didn’t look up as Asgore came up from behind, kneeling with them and pulling the family together, his tears quickly joining the others that threatened to form a small pool at the family's feet.

The others were stunned and quiet, motionless as it played out. Some took a few respective steps away, while back on the porch, the young Frisk buried their face into Rex’s sweater, shutting it out, not wanting to see, not wanting to know that yet again, right before them...someone had been lost. Their magic hadn’t come back yet… they knew that they couldn’t undo this.

“Mettaton,” Alphys said quietly, taking a step away from the grieving family and motioning for him to follow, keeping her voice low so that they wouldn’t be overheard. “That creature… and the other ones from before, you recognised them… and so did everyone else from your side. You’ve seen things like this before?”

He gave a nod. “Yes...but never this many all at once--at least, not outside of the Abyss,” he stated.

“I scanned them while we were fighting…” Alphys continued after a moment. “Their souls… they’re twisted and broken. But at it’s core… there was a familiar magical energy… the same type of energy that every Monster we met on your side of the Rift had.”

The lights in the robot’s eyes faded completely, before he jerked, the lights returning and a look of dread came to him. “...you don’t mean…” 

“They came from your side, didn’t they?” Alphys’s voice held no accusation in it’s tone, only sadness and resignation. “When the Rift re-opened… it let them through, into our world.”

“Oh gods…” Mettaton murmured, burying his face into his hands with a quiet moan. “They came from…” His voice drifted off, and then he shook his head. “But how--we would have already stumbled upon that amount back before the rifts if they could just roam freely…” Then, another sickening thing came to him. “Oh...gods, don’t tell me it opened there…” The Abyss...if that was where it opened--!

“I’ll find Sans and tell him about that… in case he hasn’t figured it out already.” Alphys replaced the helmet on her head. “If we can get the Rift under control… then we can stop more of those things from getting out.”

“L--let me help, if it opened where I think it did, those creatures will be the least of our problems if we don’t seal it.”

Alphys hesitated for a split second, then nodded.

“We’ll probably need all the help we can get… if they’re coming from the Rift, there’ll be more of them near there. And Undyne can only handle so many at once.” Her boots began to power up. “Let's go… we have to deal with this quickly… before we lose anyone else.” 

The robot nodded. “I’ll follow you from the ground,” he assured. She took off, and he raced after her, unable to take flight until he could make repairs.

\---- 

“-Fortunately, it wasn’t too difficult to put the Rift back in its original position once I got to it,” Sans explained to the otherworlders in Alphys’s basement lab. The power had been knocked out during the battle, but the light from the Rift, now once again at it’s former size, was more than sufficient to keep the room from falling into darkness. However, after what they had all experienced in the past few hours, the Rift’s light was anything but comforting.

Most were stone silent, with Mettaton taking the reins of the conversation. Muffet was in no condition to talk, softly crying into her hands, while Grillby and Dogamy were beside her, trying to comfort her, though they knew it would do little good. Gerson had Napstablook on his shoulders, as the ghost didn’t weigh anything at all. The old turtle was leaning against the wall, looking about ready to drop dead. Both were too tired to offer words.

Rex was beside them, making sure the old turtle didn’t fall, while the little Frisk clung to their side, burying their face into the brightly colored sweater. They hadn’t made a single sound since they were outside.

The robot nodded to Sans. “If that’s the case, it should open up normally for us...we can handle things from here. I’ll look into where the Rift opened earlier--I should be able to find a reading, and then I’ll see where those things were coming from--see if I can take care of them. We...we’ll also block off the rift--just in case. ...we’ll make sure that something like this _never_ happens again.”

“Yeah, it should still sync up to where it was before,” Sans agreed. “Once you guys get through… I’ll seal it with magic.” He hesitated for a moment. “Sorry none of the others could be here to see you off but…”

“...we understand--with all things considered,” the robot murmured quietly. “We’ll still build something--we have Humans that are good at poking their noses into things they shouldn’t…” He breathed out. “I...think that’s everything.”

“Works for me,” the skeleton replied, his voice slightly strained. “I uh, think I’ve had enough of... unwanted guests for the time being.”

The robot simply nodded, then knelt so that they were at eye level, before muttering quietly. “Sans...if there’s one thing I want to ask--is that everyone needs to keep an eye on Alphys.” The tone in his voice was completely serious. “Make sure she understands that this is _not_ her fault, and it never will be.” _Because I can’t bear to lose her twice._

Sans inclined his skull slightly at Mettaton’s request.

“I’ll keep an eyesocket on her,” he promised quietly. “We’ll make sure she doesn’t do anything… stupid.”

The robot said nothing else, and then stood, turning to the others. “Everyone...I think it’s time we head home.” The others turned, aside from Muffet, dipping their heads in quiet murmurs before Grillby and Dogamy led the woman through. Mettaton went over to the turtle, giving him a shoulder to lean on to, but Rex pressed close to his side to help, with the young Frisk trailing just slightly behind.

Just before they entered the Rift however, all colour drained out of the world, and Frisk could feel time stop.

“Hey, buddy,” Sans’s voice came from behind. “I’d like to talk to you for a minute.”

They paused, recognizing the sensation. As they were a red magic user, they had been taught to sense things that altered time around them. They bit their lip, and slowly started to turn. “S--Sans…” Their was voice was strained. “I’m s--” When they looked to him though, the words died away as they stiffened, their eyes slowly widening.

The skeleton was the only thing other than Frisk that still had colour. He sighed, his hand deep in his pockets. The tiny dots in his sockets that passed for pupils locked onto Frisk’s own eyes. 

“So, it was really nice to meet all of you,” he said quietly, his voice flat and emotionless. “But uh, could you do me a favor buddy?” He closed his sockets. “Unless there’s some way you guys can undo what happened here today…” 

His sockets opened, revealing twin voids of darkness so deep that not even the colourful light that played across his skull could penetrate it.

“ **D o n ‘ t e v e r c o m e b a c k.** ”

Frisk jerked, paying no mind to the colors returning to the world, the colors in their eyes fading to the point that they almost couldn’t be seen. They took a trembling step back, finding it difficult to escape the penetrating gaze. Then, they whipped around, fleeing back through to their own world.

Sans closed the tear behind them, leaving a shimmering scar suspended in the air. A wound that would never heal… just like the damage done to the happy ending he had fought so hard for. He took in a shaky breath, and then turned, exiting the lab and praying silently that he would never have to return to it. As he left it behind though, another, entirely different rift formed between the two worlds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you have it. This is the last chapter of Forging Rifts. Don't worry, the series as a whole isn't over yet. We will be taking a two week break to get things finalized, but we will be back with gusto on the 23rd of January with the next story titled; Aftermath.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope to see you all in the next one!


End file.
